SamSara
by TropicalRemix
Summary: The third and Final Arc to the Simple Sweetness Trilogy. The past and the present collide as the Journey of lifetimes come to a final end. I did not write this story. Shaydoe did.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Beginning of the first ending**

Author's note: My first run through with this story concerning Beryl felt rushed. So this time I am giving Beryl her due. This chapter contains fluffy, lemony fresh scent.

 **Beryl**

An odd green light infused the rain, glowing faintly amid the freezing droplets. Beryl blinked rapidly, confused by the strange phenomenon. The Genesis induced euphoria of becoming Serenity had been a short lived. As the adrenaline faded from her system, so did her energy. She had used to much of her power to absorb her. Leaving her more drained and exhausted then ever before. Shuffling her feet aimlessly forward, she had never felt so tired, her body felt incredibly weighted...each step becoming more and more of a struggle. Her muscles ached with bone deep chill, throbbing and burning from the excessive strain. Her vision was swimming like a listing ship through the eerie illumination. An impenetrable darkness pressed against her from either side, as if she was walking down some long forgotten tunnel. The blackness that lurked just outside of her vision was thick like an abyss. The darkness scared her, creating an unreasonable childlike fear. That festered deep inside her psyche. Believing that monsters and shadow things lingered at the edge of that darkness, waiting for her to make a wrong turn. So they could lunge out and drag her into the void and devour her whole. So like an terrorfied animal trapped in a maze, she resolutely followed the illumination, never straying from the path. Worried were it was leading her but unwilling to face the demons who waited for her in the darkness.

A harsh oder assaulted her nose, it was sour and astringent. Burning her eyes and making them water. She found herself blinking trying to cleanse away the water welling in her eyes. The crackling of burning wood whispered in the background, along with soft whimpers. Strangled moans and raw sobs like a weak mewling kitten echoed to her from the rising smoke.

"Hello..." She called cautiously a couple times into the gloom. Until she realized that the broken sounds of misery were coming from her. The thick smoke was billowing down into her face making her cough and groan in pain, when it burned her throat. She could feel the damp earth scrap her hands, as she clawed nervously into it. Glancing around barely able to see through the building haze, finding cobble stone walls encasing her on all sides. She was trapped in a sweltering hole, or perhaps a very small cave. Above were the heat emanated were rotted wooden slates, groaning sinisterly down at her as the fire consumed the room above. She was curled up in a ball in the farthest corner of a small dirt cellar. There was no way an adult could fit in this tiny hole? She must be in a much smaller body...perhaps that of a child...

It took only a single breath for her soul to submerge back into that first life, leaving behind all the turmoil and angst of her future self forgotten.

The inferno roared over her head, sharp orange light flickered through the cracks in the floor boards above her. Even though the heat was immense, she was shivering. The cold ground having seeped into the flimsy cotton night dress she was wearing.

"Beryl!" A frantic high pitched scream shattered the cave like atmosphere.

She spun her head around, as the smokey dream world she had entered into became her reality.

"Mother!" She screamed back, at the top of her lungs. Gritting her teeth as the smoke seared them with out mercy.

The roof exploded above her head, with a mighty crack. She shot her gaze upward in fright, finding the rusted edge of a stone axe blade imbedded into the planks. A dark ichor was dripping from it's chipped and jagged edge. It splattered upon her forehead, like a heavy drop of rain.

"I got you baby girl, just hang on!" Her mother's voice called out to her, full of strength and conviction.

Her mother had never been a weak, damsel. She was a survivor and did what ever was necessary to live. She had instilled that same strength of will into her eldest daughter.

Beryl prepared herself, as the roof of her shelter was hacked away. When a good sized hole had been ripped away her mother's blood smeared arms were thrust down to her.

"Here, Ingrid first." Beryl had gathered her youngest sister into her lap, while she watched her mother work at hacking through the floor boards. Handing the tiny four year old up to her mother's waiting arms, then scramble in the darkness for her other sister. They had been trapped under the house for what seemed like hours, while the thieves ransacked their house then set it a blaze. Their mother had gone hunting in the forest that morning and Beryl knew she wouldn't be back till nightfall. So protecting her sisters was her responsibility. She had dragged them into the root cellar, both crying softly in fear. As the men sought to break down their heavy oak front door.

She had soothed them for hours as their home burned, until they had both fallen asleep. Leaving her the only one to endure the choking smoke and burning stench stinging her face and eyes.

Freya was a couple years older, about six. Yet she was as petite as Ingrid, perhaps a foot taller but her bone structure was just as delicate. Her sisters took after their mother in every respect. But Beryl only resembled her slightly. She was not blessed with such frail beauty, at the age of eight she towered over both of her sisters. Taking after her good for nothing father, her body was sturdy and well muscled as that of a lad. If it wasn't for her long reddish-brunette hair she might even be mistaken for one.

Her mother took Freya tenderly, sniffling softly at how limp she was. She didn't return for Beryl, as she carried Freya away.

Leaving her eldest daughter to lift herself out of the hole unaided. Knowing how strong willed and resilient she was.

Beryl had never needed any coddling, she was a fighter.

Coughs wracked her body as she crawled along the heated wooden floor. Following the vague footsteps of her mother, as she carried her sister out of the house. Slowly, cautiously she made her way across the simple one room cabin. Squinting through the black smoke, watching in horror as the walls were devoured by flames. The thatched ceiling above snapping and crackling as it was engulfed in fire It was like navigating through the bowels of hell. She swallowed back her screams, gathering the last of her courage, her will to live and leaped to her feet. Dashing for the murky twilight, filtering in through the open front door. She shot out of the house as if propelled by cannon fire, falling to her knees onto the ground. Sucking in one great breath after another to clear her lungs.

"We made it!" She grinned, so grateful to be free of the flames and smoke. She had thought they were going to die in there. The fresh air had never tasted so wonderful!

Glancing along the ground she found the bloody remains of two men, laying near the front door. Their bodies were a gruesome sight to behold. Each had several arrows protruding from their backs. Brutally hacked and partially disemboweled by her mother's hatchet. It was a grisly and unholy mess for a young girl to see. She had torn into them with the primal fury of a mother bear protecting her cubs. The wrath of her mothers rage was truly frightening.

"By the gods!" Beryl gasped in fright, crab crawling franticly away from the dead eyed corpses.

Slowly raising her head to confront her mothers broken visage, bowed over the bodies of her two sisters. Dressed in the tan breeches and tunic of a woodsmen, with a long green cloak and a now empty quiver of arrows upon her back. Her long auburn hair fell in dirty, sweat moistened waved down her back and over her face. Making her look wild and travel weary. Her eyes were dull, lacking in vitality. Having endured far more suffering in the last few years then most, she was near her breaking point. Her pale hazel eyes wet with tears, as she regarded her two small daughters. Beryl's smile of gratitude slowly fell into a sad frown, her expression changing to one of worried misery.

"Mother..." She moved slowly forwards, reaching towards her sister's prone bodies. "Their ok, they just fell asleep." She reassured her, falling to her knees beside the two little girls. Staring down at them suspiciously, when her mother did not acknowledge her assurances.

Ingrid was so tiny in her beige cotton night gown, was now tragically stained with grey soot. With soft brown hair that hung near her small shoulder's, her face round and full like a cherubs. Her features relaxed and at peace.

Freya was slender like a reed, her simple lavender night dress was damp from sweat and just as marred by dirt. Her hair was darker, not as dark as Beryl's but a much deeper shade then Ingrid's. Hiding her brilliant deep blue eyes in deaths repose, her long lashes dusted with soot. Her delicate cheeks, looked pale a greenish tone tinting the unblemished skin.

"You are safe now." Was all her mother stated, brushing her fingers down the smudged, rounded cheeks of her sister's.

Beryl didn't feel safe, the fright may have melted away upon escaping the fire but she still felt bone weary. She watched in mute horror as her mother cradled little Ingrid to her breast. The tiny girls arms dangled limp and lifeless, swinging aimlessly as her mother rocked back and forth. Moaning in unbearable pain. She placed a tender kiss upon her head and then laid her back down upon the dried litter of the forest floor. Gathering up Freya next, her body as well lacked in any vitality. Her back bent backward over her mother's cradling arm, her head rolling back and forth like a lifeless dolls. Her mother was trembling as if chilled. Panting and keening softly, trying to contain the screams of agony that wanted to be released into the approaching night. Beryl's heart sank at the broken sounds she was making. Never in her young life had she felt so cold, so empty. By the time her mother slid Freya's lifeless body back to the earth, her grief was once again hidden behind a mask of firm resolve.

"We must be off, incase more of those bastards show up." She snarled.

It was then that Beryl realized her sister's were not sleeping, they had suffocated in that cellar. She had dragged them down there to their deaths. Her was frozen in horror at what she had done. Then idlely she wondered why she wasn't crying? Shouldn't she cry? She should be wailing and screaming on her knees begging her mothers forgiveness. She should be pounding her fists upon the earth ravaged by guilt and cry until she drowned in her own tears. But she wasn't, she felt no tears..no anguish. Just tired and numb. It was then her mother stood up, offered her a hand and they ran into the forest. Leaving their old life behind.

The long, arduous journey to follow sped through her mind as they made their way towards the inner kingdoms. Heading out of the wild, fringe territories and into the more protected areas of the five earth realms. Eventually making it all the way into the Central Golden Kingdom. The lush, effervescent gardens of Elysian. Were for the first time in her life, she felt safe, content and happy. Were her outlook upon the future seemed bright and full of promise. The constant travel and daily struggle to survive seemed over. She no longer saw the world through the filthy lens of dismal poverty. The royal house of Elysian had taken them in, offered her mother and herself employment in the Golden Palace. Now they had a small cottage on the outskirts of the village and a steady and secure income to live off of. All that struggle to get here seemed worth it.

As she stood before a sparkling stream, taking stock of the two years that had past. Finding a gangly ten year old staring back at her. With thick, reddish-brunette hair the hung in waves down her back. Framing her modest beauty, just entering the phase of maturing. Her face was smudged with dirt and leaves were knotted into her hair. Her piercing green eyes shone briefly with mirth, as she surveyed the reflection of the red wood forest behind her. Soon growing heated with a burning sense of betrayal and anger. She was wearing nothing but the simple beige under garments she wore beneath her heavy servants dress. That had been quickly discarded on a rock nearby, the flimsy cotton slip was already ruined with grass stains and dried mud. Her once crisp white stockings a dull grey from running bare foot down the trails. Her cheeks were pink from an afternoon of hard play with her best friend. Who had just had the callous audacity to tell her he was leaving her!

Then hands reached for her, clasping her shoulder's from behind in a tender, beseeching sort of way.

With a huff, angry, hurt feelings swamped with sadness overwhelmed her. She refused to turn around and confront him.

Or the gentle reassuring smile currently dominating his kind, handsome face.

"I am sorry Beryl...but it's my duty. I have to go on this pilgrimage to the nine heavenly temples. I don't want to leave you. I have no choice..." He stated in a sad rescinded tone.

Beryl sniffled, feeling the tears gathering in her eyes. She dreaded being left behind, worried he would forget her. His life would be so full of grand adventures and incredible sights as he saw the world. He might out grow her. A simple village girl as she was, she could never keep up and hold his interest after such a journey. This could very well be a final goodbye between them. Her chest hurt and her heart felt shredded. She wanted to scream up at him, plead to come along, to cry and cajole him to stay. But she knew she couldn't do any of that. He was the High Prince of the Golden Kingdom and his destiny was far greater then her own. So she bit down on her lower lip hard, drawing blood. He sighed behind her and bowed his head over the top of hers, his arms wrapping around her holding her tight.

"I will think about you always, not a day will pass that I will not wonder what you are up to here in Elysian. Promise me you will wait for me to come home, it will only be for a few years. Then we will be together again, nothing will have changed between us. When I get back we will laugh and play as we always have. I will tell you of my journey and all the amazing sights in the four outer kingdoms." he offered, plaintively.

She heaved a great breath, she had already seen those kingdoms. All be it briefly as she and her mother were fleeing to the relative safety of Elysian. But she felt there would be nothing of interest he could tell her when he got back. All she truly wanted out of this life was to be by his side forever...

"Beryl...com'on now. " He urged, twisting his grip and forcing her to turn towards him. It was at that point she broke. Her young frame shuttering as great sobs finally escaped her, ashamed of her tears. She pressed her face into the soft crimson silk of his tunic, clutching at him and holding on as tightly as she could as she wept in sorrow.

Prince Endymion wasn't someone you could defy for long, his natural charm and honest heart always had her bending to his will. He was someone she looked up to, idolized and truth be told she had a very huge crush on.

"Wait for me...Beryl." he asked, petting his hand soothingly down her head.

She nodded weakly, even though she didn't know if she could. If he wasn't back in three years the village wedding lottery would claim her first.

He had bewitched her that very first day, when he had caught her hiding in the palaces vast library. With his dark somewhat untidy hair, the he kept running his hands through as he worked on his studies at long table near the large windows. His mysterious dark blue eyes, held her entranced every time he looked her way. His bemused, but unwavering stare piercing her down to her very soul. At the end of his lesson, he had introduced himself and offered her a hand, as if they might be equals. A brilliant, unassuming grin graced his handsome face and she was instantly in love. She had been trying to be sneaky and look as if she was dusting the book stacks, but the fact that she remained rooted in the same spot for nearly an hour gave her away. In truth she was desperate to learn. She wanted to be more then just a powerless, maiden who held no more potential then to be some man's wife. Destined to be nothing, to amount to nothing. Her entire future determined by her husband. To be a silent, dutiful woman, who was considerate to his needs alone. To spend her days tending that man's home and place her own life in jeopardy, every time he got her with child. That wasn't the future she dreamed of for herself, she wanted so much more then that.

She wanted to hold the rutter of her own life, to determine her own fate based solely on making her own decisions. To do that she needed wealth. With money came power...the first step to being a self sufficient woman was an education. So when the opportunity to listen in on the Princes tutor's came around she took advantage of it.

The prince had caught her listening that first day but said nothing, he found her amusing so allowed her to stay. But as the week past and he found her again and again lurking somewhere out of view in the stacks. His amusement of her voyeurism into his studies waned quickly and he was getting rather annoyed. Finding her more a distraction now, then entertaining. Often getting into trouble with his tutor for his lack of focus, when he was more concerned with finding her new hiding place then paying attention. When he confronted her about it after class. She denied that she was doing anything wrong, that she was sent to clean the library during his study time. He didn't believe her for a second, but conceded to her story. Another week past and she continued to hide out in the library, instead of doing the chores she was obligated to do. He said nothing, merely passing her knowing smiles from time to time. Accepting the company gracefully. It was then the head mistress of the palace staff began to investigate were and what her young charge was doing during that time of the day. When the old woman found out she was eaves dropping on the Prince's lessons, she was furious.

Ordering her punished at dusk when her shift ended, commanding the stable masters only son, Tomas. To drag her to the back of the horse barn and switch her good.

Tom was a simpleton, but had a great affinity with the horses. His natural ability and greater strength to tame and control the beasts made him an asset to the Palace. A mild looking young man just entering adulthood with thinning blonde hair and dull, grey eyes. Over six feet tall with a girth that could rival most mules. He never questioned his order's, he just obeyed. So he was a perfect henchmen for the Head Mistress to keep order among her staff.

Thankfully the Prince had been out for an evening stroll in the back gardens and had heard Beryl's defiant screams and rather abrasive curses echoing from the stables. As she fought the large man that was attempting to drag her away into the barn. But by the time he had gotten to the back of the stables, the larger man had already beat her into submission. She was curled up in a ball at the far corner of a horses stall, her face, hair and servants dress smeared with manure. Her arms and legs bruised and cut bloody from his savage beating with an elm branch.

Endymion had then charged to her rescue, as soon as he saw injustice happening to her. Screaming his rage towards the brute of a man, who was aiming to strike her again with his stick. That resembled a bat more then a switching stick. No doubt found and given by the Head Mistress, who had a rather vindictive streak when people in her employee over stepped their bounds. Endymion ran full boar down the length of the barn. He was utterly fearless, as he tackled the man around the waist sending him off balance and into the manure of the stall. Cracking a fist across the man's nose, as they went down. Blood splattered across his silk tunic, but he never gave it a single thought. Beryl's safety meant more to him then an expensive garment. Straddling the man's ample waist, he glared down at him with such a savage ferocity. The man was instantly frozen in startled fright. Finding the Prince now perched atop him, his further wrath immanent. As he then grappled the stick out of his meaty hands. Beryl slowly uncurled herself, blinking in reverent awe at her dark haired saviour.

Even at the age of ten, his natural fighting prowess was quite evident. His heroic save only intensified her love for him. After he had sent the now terrorfied man on his way, to deliver orders to the Head Mistress that Beryl was no longer under her employee. That she was now his servant and he would see to her duties from now on. From that point on they were inseparable, she became his playmate, his study partner and his best friend.

To Beryl who had experienced very little in the way of kindness. He was one of those people who were utterly gorgeous inside and out and he would only get more beautiful as years past.

 **Six years later...**

Endymion was travel weary and eager to be back in his soft bed. It had been a long but worth while pilgrimage. He felt he had grown worldly, his sheltered mind broadened and wizened over the years. His sinewy ten year old frame had matured into broad shoulder's, a well muscled chest and powerful arms and legs. Seated atop a black stallion, dressed in tan leather breaches and a forester's tunic. With heavy black travel boots and a long grey cloak. The hood pulled up, obscuring his face in shadows. He resembled a common traveller more then the regal countenance of the High Prince of Elysian.

From the summit of a tall hill he surveyed the countryside, with a fondness in his dark blue eyes. The grassy hills that surrounded him, fluttered in the late summer breeze. The sun was falling towards the horizon in the distance. It's warmth favouring certain pastures and fields, that were blanketed in brilliant gold. The wheat ripe and ready for harvest. Far off in the distance, he could just make out the deep green ribbon of the ancient red wood forest that surrounded the Golden Palace. This land...his land was the most glorious sight he had ever witnessed. Even after all the wonders he had seen over the years, the sight of his homeland was what brought him near tears. The land was vibrant in the heat of summer, the hills dusted with wild flowers. The scent of green earth filling the air, with the thick rich scents of life. Elysian was known as the Garden Kingdom for a reason. Everything that was planted here, in this land of rich soil was certain to grow, robust and plentiful. Small streams cut through the land, offering the plants sustenance while the gentle warmth of the sun blessed them with vitality. The farmlands stretched out as far as he could see, in a endless blanket of field and meadows. All manner of livestock grazed with out concern in the rolling pastures, as his horse plodded down the dirt road. Heading with a steady, unhurried gait towards the Palace. A hay cart pulled by a mule passed him, the old man driving barely acknowledged him. Giving him a curt nod, as he cracked his reigns urging the beast to move faster.

Endymion figured the man was in a hurry to get to the village that abutted against the forest on the out skirts of the Golden Palaces land. Not wanting to be on the roads after nightfall, he had commanded his mule to move at a brisk pace. Endymion absently watched the dust cloud the cart created, rumble out of sight over the next hill. This road would lead him down into a valley full of small farms, then beyond that lay the village and then the might red wood forest. The light in the sky was beginning to fade, so he also snapped the reigns commanding his mount into a faster trot. More carts began to pass him as he neared the first farm. It was strange to see this much traffic so late in the day, curious he guided his horse into the farmyard to find his answers.

Glancing down at his left hand, he found his royal gold crest ring gleaming up at him in the dieing light. He quickly removed it and tucked it safely away into his hip pouch. He liked not being recognized on the road and would like his identity to remain hidden for little while longer. He glanced around the hills, taking in a long, deep breath. His lungs filled with the sweet smells of pasture land, wild flowers and moist earth. The richness of it spoke of an innocence he had left here years before. His mind falling back as it usually did, to the girl he had left behind. Wondering if she was ok, if she was happy or a least found some contentment since he had left. She had always been so restless, in body and in spirit. Unable to relax and just enjoy the day as he could. To many worries and concerns plagued her. The only place she found contentment was when they were playing in the forest, hidden away in their own private world. He missed her...by the gods he couldn't wait to see her again!

As he neared the farm house, candlelight was flickering in the windows. It was a modest structure of stone with a log roof. A large porch wrapped around the house, with sturdy, well made benches.

A number of farm hands were finishing their chores. Bringing in plows and animals back into the barn, sealing up the huge doors for the night. The sunset was setting the horizon on fire, it bathed the farmyard in streaks of crimson and lavender. The farmhands were laughing and joking as they crossed the farm yard. They were in a festive mood, eager to be off to the village themselves. Endymion focused on the eldest of the group, a middle aged man with deep wrinkles. A tanned, weather worn face and a thin ring of silver hair adorning the crown of his head. He was quite muscular and he directed the others with a soft, commanding voice.

Endymion took note of the respect the younger men offered him, figuring that he was the farmer. He moved towards the edge of the carriage path that circled around the front of the farm house. Not wanting to seem threatening, he swiftly dismounted catching the farmer's attention. Who stopped before him, the young men casting him curious if wary looks as they proceeded the old man up the steps to the wrap around porch of the farm house.

"Hello, stranger. What brings you to my doorstep then?" He smiled wanly, offering a hand for him to shake.

"I am just passing through, looking for work here and there. Trying to pay my way towards the sea." Endymion offered warmly.

"Ah, headed over to the eastern territories I suppose. Hoping to get work on a trade ship and find your fortune then." He laughed good naturedly, shaking his head. " I wish I had been as courageous in my youth. But I alas, my heart has always been here and I could never leave. " He cast a warm smile up at the farm house. Endymion turned to find an older women, with soft brown hair and a timid smile staring down at them from the front porch. She clutched the shaft of a slender hoe, that she held loosely at her side. Endymion was at a loss to figure out if she was just returning from the garden, or if she was brandishing the hoe as a weapon.

"Charmer." she giggled, then turned, leaning the tool against the doorframe within easy reach and reentered the house.

Endymion figured she was the farmer's wife, she had intruded upon their conversation to ascertain his intent. When she found he wasn't harmful to her husband she was quick to leave them to their conversation, returning to the security of their home. Endy watched her go, still trying to figure her out. As the wooden screen door swung closed with a sharp squeal of rusty hinges.

"She's protective. " The old man admitted.

"Aye," Endy chuckled, giving the retreating woman an amused grin.

"I am afraid you missed supper, my boy. Unfortunately, I also have all the help I need for this harvest, but I can offer you a place to sleep for the night in my shed if you need? "The old man offered.

"I am headed towards the village to find lodging, but thanks. I stopped to inquire about all the traffic along the road. I am concerned about what I may find up ahead in the village." Endy inquired.

"The roads these days aren't what they used to be." The farmer nodded, approving of Endy's cautious attitude. "Ah..well the harvest dance is in town tonight. " He started, as several young men filed out of the farm house. The grit and sweat of the day washed off and dressed in their finest clothes. Heading back towards the barn, passing by him and the farmer with little more then polite smiles and small inquisitive glances.

"These boys are headed into town. Why don't you follow them, there is bound to be food there if you are hungry. " He offered, as a woman's soft laughter cut him off.

Endymion turned to find the farmer's wife had returned, bearing a small basket of bread, meat and cheese. "We have plenty of food here, Cecil." She admonished, handing Endymion the basket. "Here , young man settle yourself down on the porch and have a good meal before heading off into town."

Endy took the offering with a broad smile, his stomach growling at the thought of food. He had been in such a hurry to get into his kingdoms territories that he hadn't eaten all day. Grateful for the food, he bowed respectfully to the old woman and sat down on the top step of the porch.

"The harvest dance is a big thing in this area, it is one of the only ways our young people can have fun and spend time together. I am sure you will have a good time there tonight, it's the last dance before the marriage lottery." She finished with a wink and headed back into the house with her husband in tow.

Endymion's heart lurched sickeningly as worry turned his stomach and stole his appetite. He had completely forgotten about the marriage lottery? By now Beryl could be married with kids of her own...The thought was like a twisting blade, carving through his chest. He hastily set his meal aside and jumped to his feet. Threw himself up onto his steeds back, churning up the earth as he galloped out of the farmyard. A cold panic as set in and he needed to find Beryl! He needed to know if she had waited for him as he had asked, or if fate had taken her away from him for good.

The village was alive with light, colourful paper lanterns hung from the trees, some sat on barrels making the street look festive. Endymion had pulled his hood up tight, casting his face in deeper shadow, as he rode threw town. Taking in the quaint, modest atmosphere of the village. His people were not wealthy, but their farms and herds kept them reasonably fed and clothed. He noted the lack of luxury to their homes, the porches simple with hand carved rocking chairs or benches. Decorated simply with what ever was on hand. Fresh-cut boughs from willow trees twisted and fashioned into wreaths adorned with fresh cut flowers from the meadows. Festooned to the front porches was sapling branches of various tones, entwined into intricate love knots. Some hanging from the front doors like good luck charms, of all families hoping their children found a good match in the coming lottery.

Despite being used to a far amore elaborate and wealthy lifestyle, Endymion found he was taking in this peasant celebration with delight. The simplicity of the celebration warmed his heart and eased his mind. Gone was his trepidation and anxious worry over Beryl, these was her people. She was a commoner and belonged more in this world then his. To ask her to wait had been extremely selfish of him. He was of royal blood and she was a peasant, nothing could really happen between them. He hoped that when the time had come for her to cast her name into that ballot, that good fortune fell upon her and she found a kind and patient man to take care of her.

Guiding his horse up to the town hall, the most sturdy building he had seen along the short stretch of street. A massive structure of white stone and a ceramic slate roof. The walkway up to the double oak doors was lined with red woods.

Paper lanterns were stung along their sweeping branches, inviting all to attend the party held within.

Endymion tied his horse to a nearby tree, taking note of the young women in light summer dresses milling around the front yard. Gossiping and laughing in small groups, while the young men had segregated themselves at the foot of halls front steps. Lounging and cajoling with each other, either sexes to nervous or to shy to interact.

Endymion remained on the outskirts of the celebration watching with an amusing smile to the awkward, almost painful first steps these young people were taking to get know each other. When the front doors were finally opened the excitement coursing through the air was almost electric. Several musicians arrived, carrying a harp, a lute and a modest ukelele. Endy was well versed in musical instruments thanks to his time with Zoicite. The music they wished to play tonight would range from the more common upbeat odes of traveling minstrels to the slow, romantic tones of olden day waltz's.

He had to admit he was looking forward to the dance, the modest fair and jovial atmosphere was a welcomed sight. After enduring years of ponderous ceremony and dull rituals at every Celestial Temple in the five kingdoms. He was more then ready to put all that pointless worship behind him and focus on things of a more fun and light hearted nature. He made his way to the open doors, leaning against the thick door frame. Taking in the long tables against the far wall, laden in all manner of sweets, baked goods and glazed meats.

He noted that the hall on the outside had looked wealthy and grand, but the floor inside was just dirt. As if the town had run out of money? It was curious, that the village council would over reach what they could afford so blatantly. Had this village been afflicted with blighted crops perhaps or had something more sinister occurred to drain their public coffers? Perhaps is was simply vanity, the citizens wanting to look far more prosperous and sophisticated then they had a right to. Endy shook his head, his understanding of people had grown in leaps and bounds over the years. It seemed his people were no different then any of the other peasants through out the five kingdoms. They all wanted more then a straw bed and a dry roof over their heads. They worked hard and strived to provide a better future for their children. They dreamed and strove every day for a better life, in the end he couldn't help but respect that inner drive.

As the room started to fill, Endymion began to feel his presence wasn't going unnoticed any longer. He was recieving a few odd looks from various groups of young people, they looked him up and down and whispered amongst themselves. The twittering laughter of a couple young women nearby, made him uncomfortable. But the young people would quickly disperse or wander away, they had far more pressing matters to attend to. Endy gauged the girls to be around thirteen or fourteen, while the men were about his age or older. He wondered if Beryl had made more friends after he left? She seemed rather transfixed upon him at the time and never sought out the company of other kids. Coming to this dance alone would have been a lonely and somewhat frightening experience. He did not relish the thought of Beryl being so lost and alone with out him.

He watched the dance for some time, as the couples slowly began to pair up. Then paired up with someone new several minutes later upon a new song. It seemed the older chaperones had instituted dance cards, to make sure all the young people had time to get know each other. He was aware of the seriousness of this night, despite the light mood. There was an undertone of maudlin, solemnity that hung heavy in the back of every young woman's mind. Their laughter seemed strained, their smiles tight as the dance wore on. In communities such as these, propagation was a necessity. And it fell squarely on the women's shoulder's.

With a heavy sigh he felt it was time to get some air. The night had come while he was inside and now the sky was black, with just a hint of starlight high above. The soft flickering light from the lanterns, illuminated his way. As he wandered around the outskirts of the hall, seeking to find a dark place out beyond the lantern light so he could get a good look at the stars. He understood the alignment of the sky and lore of the stars in far better detail now, since visiting the Celestial Temples. He had an awed appreciation of the eternity that lay sprawled above his head.

He needed to get a good ways away, to view the stars, because the lantern light blurred out the sky above. As he crossed behind the meeting hall, soft moans and plaintive whimpers caught his attention from across the road. A cluster of ale barrels sat against the tree line there. Squinting in the half light from the fringe of lanterns, he couldn't make out anything in the thick darkness over there. Then he caught frantic movement just to the right of the barrels. The sounds of a scuffle and the sharp impact of fists cut through the evenings silence. Followed by slurred curses and wails of pain.

He quickly drew his sword and dashed for the barrels, circling around the back ready for combat. Coming to a staggering stop, in slack jawed disbelief at the totally unprecedented sight before him.

Two young men perhaps a year or two older then himself, were beaten and trussed from the elm tree behind the barrels. Dangling from a thick overhanging branch, their arms tied behind their backs. Blood oozing from their noses and long gashes across their chests. Their grey tunics torn from a blades edge, from navel to neck. With their black leather breeches bunched low around their ankles, their manhood barely concealed beneath the thin grey tunic hem. A couple sets of dark boiled leather brigadine style chest pieces, were discarded against the tree. The gold rivets that held the metal plates beneath looked tarnished and battle worn. Endymion narrowed his eyes in scrutiny, the shoulder guards had a crest woven into the leather of twin roses with the gold crown above. It was the insignia of the Elysian outriders? What the hell were honourable men doing, skulking in the darkness like this?

The men were scowling and cursing in low growls towards the far corner of the empty line of barrels. Drawing Endymion's attention over there, finding a dark haired woman around his age. Dressed in the modest leather breech and heavy cotton tunic of a peasant man, with a dagger belt strapped around her waist. Tending to a weeping young girl cowering in her arms. He couldn't see the girls face just yet in the demi light, but could ascertain by her slight frame and shorter stature to the woman. She must have been a young girl from the dance. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom he took in more of her features. She had long, straight hair as fair in tone as ripened wheat. Her face was delicately formed, with dark ebony eyes. Still wide and frightened by what had occurred moments before. Her mouth was well formed, shaped like a longbow, with a thin upper curve and a plump lower lip. Trembling like a startled deer. She was a pretty lass, who must garner much attention from the young men back at the dance.

As he neared she stiffened and sought to crawl more securely into the darker woman's embrace. He took note of her cheeks, round and rosy from her previous struggles and wet from her tears. Her broadcloth dress was torn up the middle, as she desperately sought to hold it closed with a trembling hand.

Endymion cast the two soldier's behind him a dangerous scowl. They had sought to rape this young girl and only the intervention of this warrior woman had their vile plans been thwarted. How could such despicable people be allowed into the royal military?

"Come no closer, stranger. If you value your life." The taller, woman advised. Her voice was low and smooth like a deadly weapon. She meant every word she said, the dangerous gleam in her stunning emerald green eyes spoke volumes to Endymion. He instantly stopped moving, raising his hands up in a non threatening gesture.

"I mean you or your charge no harm, I heard the commotion and came to investigate is all." he offered.

The woman's face was in shadows so he couldn't gauge if she relaxed at all.

"As you can see, I have it well in hand. " She gave him a small, indulgent smile. Wishing for him to move on and to do it quickly so she could get back to tending to the stricken girl and dispose of the two depraved men now tied to the tree.

"I can see that. " Endy cocked a thumb towards the bound and belligerent men. Smiling proudly at the warrior woman.

Who seemed rather unimpressed and impatient of his lingering around.

"With all due respect my good sir, you have interceded upon matters that do not concern you. If you would be so kind as to continue on your way. I have a very scared young girl to care for and two bastards in dire need of a proper punishment." She snarled, casting each man a firm scowl. Confirming to them her impending deadly intent.

With a resigned sigh, Endymion pulled back his hood revealing himself to her.

The two men instantly went dead silent. While the woman took a step towards the barrels, unconsciously concealing herself more firmly into the darkness. Momentarily leaving the young girl unprotected.

"Don't be frightened of me." He offered, as gently as he could. "I am sorry if I intruded. But I can not allow vigilanty justice in my kingdom."

The young girl took a deep breath, staring wide eyed up at him.

"Endymion..." The woman gasped in awe, her gorgeous emerald eyes raked desperately over his face.

He was just as she remembered him, only older... With that same messy black hair, a bit longer now. Falling thick untamed around the base of his neck and over his tunics short collar. Hanging over his eyebrows and into his piercing blue eyes. Those same mesmerizing dark blue eyes always seemed to assess her so intimately. His face looked as sculpted and flawless as ever. Speaking of his proper royal bloodlines. His strong jaw was somewhat scruffy looking with a light layer of day old facial hair.

It was him, he was back and she having a hard time remembering how to breathe. Blinking abruptly as if clearing away tears. It took long moments for her to clear her throat and speak again.

"Your finally home..." Her voice wavered, but the wonder and gratitude he heard made his stomach tighten with excitement.

"You know me..." he muttered, squinting his eyes trying valiantly to see any distinguishing features upon her face. But there was barely any light way over here, a perfect place to plan a rape for obvious reasons.

"Yes, very well." She responded. He couldn't see her expression, but by the warmth in her voice. He knew she was smiling.

"I will take young Camila home. If you would be so kind as to meet me at the Dragon's Bone Inn at the end of main street. We will be able to have a proper chat, then." It was clear she was needing a few minutes to gather herself. The sudden shock and emotion of meeting the High Prince so abruptly in the middle of the night had naturally overwhelmed her.

He nodded briskly, "I shall head there momentarily, first I must alert the local guard to take these two criminals into custody."

She shook her head ruefully, laughing bitterly as she gathered little Camila to her feet. She would allow Endymion to escort the men back to the barracks. He would need to see for himself how corrupt and ineffectual the royal guard had become. Those two bastards would be released into their commander's custody upon the dawn and then she would hunt them down and finish what she started.

"You have been gone far to long, my prince." She commented lightly, guiding the young girl away.

Endymion stood in confusion for a bit, mulling over her words.

By the time he had dropped off the two rapists at the guard barracks outside of the village and found his way to the Inn, the mystery woman was already sitting at a table in the far corner of the dining hall. He couldn't make out any of her features, only her dark wavy hair. That hung around her bowed face, shielding her face from view. Hunched over a bowl of lamb stew, dipping large chunks of rye bread into the gravy. She seemed so absorbed in her meal, not paying any attention to the villagers sharing the tables nearby. He stood in the doorway for a moment, his hood pulled up not wanting to be recognized. Taking in the simple country atmosphere that surrounded him. The Dragon's Bone was a modest affair, with heavy pine wood tables and a stone fireplace on the far end. The floor was dirt as was most of the public establishments in the village he found out. Built from heavy fir logs the room always carried a thick scent of pine sap. The bar was mostly empty this evening, a few farm hands were engaged in a game of dice at a nearby table. While other older men shared tankards of ale at the bar or scattered in small groups at other tables. Every man in the establishment was slowly working their way through tankards of ale discussing the days affairs in slurred, heated commentary.

As he neared the table she finally raised her face up to greet him. Endymion froze, he thought he recognize those brilliant green eyes. The way they had stared at him with unyielding challenge, gleaming with a stubborn defiance that only Beryl could summon into a single stare. The stunning beauty she had become, stole his breath. She held her chin up in that same incorrigible manner he remembered. That spoke of how irrepressible her personality truly was, she was strong willed, stubborn and fearless with her opinions. She was a fighter...and it bled through into every aspect of her personality. It echoed in the confident self assured way she carried herself.

As the firelight caught her eyes, they seemed to glitter like fine jewels. The tears she held back, pooling in the corners of her gorgeous green irises until she cast her gaze aside. Seeking to reclaim her composure by scrutinizing the remains of her dinner. She was gorgeous, having left behind her sweet girlish features. Transforming her into an extraordinary beauty upon her maturity. Her lips were plumb and delicate and oh so very kissable. Her skin was unblemished, soft and creamy. Begging to be touched. Her hair was far longer, a dark rich, red tint anointing the dark brown strands. That fell in thick waves over her shoulder's and down her back. The natural curl gave her hair such a lustrous body, he found himself rather eager to run his hands through it. She had blossomed like a fine rose over the intervening years. Her body filling out into a very voluptuous shape. With a small waist he could span with his two hands and the generous swell of her bosom was just as inviting.

She was beautiful...

"More stew, my dear?" A bald, robust, older gentleman intruded politely into their midst. Forcing Endymion to slide into the booth and get out of his way.

"No, thanks Henry. " Beryl turned up to the older man with a warm smile. "Tell, Marge that it was delicious."

The inn keep smiled broadly down at her, quickly taking his leave as his wrinkled cheeks began to warm. Hoping his wife hadn't seen how foolishly he had smiled back at her, it was hard to keep ones head when Beryl bestowed such a gracious smile his way. He disappeared down a side hall and into the kitchen with the empty bowl.

"Have you eaten?" Beryl offered, leaning back against her bench and taking a long swig of her iron tankard.

"No, but my appetite is rather spoiled from recent events." he growled back, recalling how unimpressed he was with the poor quality of guards back at the barracks. They seemed rather lazy and put out by actually having to lock up two men. As if keeping order in the village was a task below their station.

Beryl merely offered him a tight smile, her eyes hardening with understanding.

"What is going on around here?" Endymion complained.

"Your court has been usurped by a false king. " Was all Beryl said, shrugging slightly.

"What!" Endymion jumped to his feet, drawing all manner of attention his way.

"Sit down and I will tell you everything." Beryl hissed back, casting her eyes about nervously.

"Remember that old wise man, your parents were so enraptured by. " She began.

Endymion sat with huff and nodded.

"My father appointed him to his small council."

"And that was all the viper needed to get his teeth into your father." Beryl growled. "He rules behind the scenes, whispering into your father's ear. A demon who had poisoned your father's mind with paranoid notions of hidden plots and betrayals from the other kingdoms. He is pulling your father's strings like a puppet master. He no longer cares about keeping the peace, or prosperity of his kingdom. He seeks only to prepare for some unholy war, that he swears will set the whole of the earth on fire. Elysian has become an unlawful paradise for thieves and charlatans. With barely no troops patrolling the borders and poorly trained guards to protect the villages. Marauder's pillage and burn the outlying farms and criminals go unpunished in the streets. The king hordes the kingdoms wealth, for some greater purpose. Refusing to fund the sparce military that lies beyond the castle walls. With no guidance or aid, left alone to their own devises. Regiments such as the Outriders have become corrupted by devious, power hungry commanders. Who use them like their own personal army, to reenforce their vile ambitions. They are little more then thieves and brigands now. That sinister wise man has turned your fathers head with thoughts of glory and domination. He has pulled most if not all of the kingdoms military resources back to the Golden Palace to build a great army, in which he intends to march upon the four outer kingdoms within the next few weeks. He trusts no one. Wanting to unite the Five Kingdoms under one crown...his crown. " Beryl shook her head, "I swear you father's ambition knows no bounds now, he would blindly challenge the gods themselves if left to his own devices."

"I need some air..." Endymion spat in disgust, standing briskly and wandered out of the front doors. He could barely breathe, his father sought to destroy them all?

Beryl paid him a sympathetic look, finding out ones father had turned into a tyrannical madman was a bit of a blow.

Lost in his thoughts, leaning against the corner of the inn. Endy had unconsciously concealed himself into the shadows of the alley between. With his arms crossed, hunched over glowering down at his boots. Mulling over how absolutely insane his home coming was becoming. Everything had seemed normal...untouched as if time had stopped when he first entered his beloved lands. But now he realized he had been looking at it with the veil of nostalgia over his eyes, now that those scales had been lifted he was able to see the truth. The farmer's wife had not been hospitable at first, she was wary and had brandished a weapon upon him. As if she had already suffered at the hands of raiders in the past. The farm hands had been polite to him but not friendly. The Farmer as well, held an air of wary untrustworthiness of him. The village had seemed poorer, their resources fleeced by the Palace to feed the great army and what was left was at risk of being stolen by marauders. The fact that Beryl had saved that young girl from being raped by two corrupt soldier's only intensified the rage burning inside of him. How could his father turn his back on the very people he was sworn to protect. This was not the honourable, prosperous Elysian he remembered. His homeland had been poisoned, it was suffering and in need of a Savior. He would release his father from this Wise man's control and squash his tyrannical plan of conquest. Take the throne from him if needs be and return Elysian to its rightful glory once again.

He had been so absorbed in his planning, he never noticed the battle hardened man dressed in the black and crimson leather armour of a Sergeant of the Elysian Outriders pass by his hiding spot. The Palace crest of a blooming rose and crossed with a sword was emblazoned upon his shoulder guards. He was an older man nearing his thirties, with leathered skin long baked in the sun. Wild black hair, that only accented the beard growing unchecked upon his face. His eyes were just as dark, with a perminate scowl wrinkling his forehead. He was an ominous character to say the least.

The man strode into the Dragon's Bone with a singular purpose, scanning the array of patrons in search of particular person. A few of the farmers seated around the bar noted his presence, so engrossed in their conversation, they only paid him a cursory glance. The steady tinking of tankards lifting and slamming down on the tables echoed around the stranger as he made his way towards the back table. He stood over to Beryl, waiting for her to acknowledge him.

Beryl heaved a sigh of irritation, brushing a stray strand of brunette hair behind her ear. She knew this confrontation was coming, ever since she stopped those two Outrider apprentices back at the hall. Refusing to give the man his due, pretending to be far to busy flipping a silver coin up and down the finger's of her left hand. Providing the distraction needed for her right hand to slip unnoticed under the table to grip the hilt of one of her many daggers.

Finally he spoke. "You're Beryl."

She did not look up, but flipped the coin high in the air. Catching it fluidly with her left hand.

"Well?" He spat impatiently.

She still did not favour him with even a glance, ignoring him as if he wasn't worth her time.

"I would be very grateful if you would move aside, I have things to attend to. " There was a pause, "I am rather busy at the moment."

The man swallowed, forcing back the anger her dismissive tone was inciting deep inside of him. He could feel several eyes now watching their rather unbalanced exchange. He attempted to keep his voice calm as he regarded her again.

"I am here on an errand for a gentleman friend of yours." he stated, blandly.

Her focus remained upon the window near her table, searching the darkness outside for her wayward prince. "Really and who might that be? Friends are a rarity for me, so I am rather intrigued as to whom calls himself my friend?"

"Sir Alan of Makaiju, The illustrious commander of the Elysian Outriders." He stated flatly.

The clamour in the bar fell silent, each man was now casting the stranger weighted glances. As soon as Alan's name had been dropped, his unsavoury reputation began to be discussed openly amongst them. Alan of Makaiju was as reviled as he was feared by the village. He rode into the village from time to time over the years, during his patrol of the borders. He was a savage and depraved individual, who demanded far more of the village then they could provide. His request for supplies were far to grand in scope, wanting to roam the country side with all the accoutrements of a king. His reviled thirst for entertainment from the local brothel was an arduous torture on the poor women who had to work there. If his needs were not met he would order his men to sack the village and take what they wanted.

Beryl laughed jadedly. "Alan is neither a Gentleman or a friend I am afraid."

The man did not move, but loomed over her more persistently.

"What does he want." Beryl rolled her eyes, knowing damn well what kind of vile errand this man was on.

"Your services of course." he sighed, as if pained to admit he had been sent on such a trivial mission as to fetch Alan's favourite whore.

"I am sorry to say, I am not in the business anymore. Haven't been for many years." She admitted, passing him a small regretful smile that was totally false.

"I doubt your professional status is an issue to him." He growled, taking a step back when she finally drew her eyes up to confront him. They held no fear and were such a fierce shade of green he was momentarily set off balance.

"Well, what he wants isn't an issue to me either." She spoke evenly, slowly pushing herself up from the bench. "If you would excuse me, I have pressing matters to attend to."

It took a moment for the man to wipe away the rage now twisting his features. The patrons were nervous now, shifting in their seats or exiting the Inn quietly. Not wanting to get involved in the coming violent dispute between this rash, foolhardy woman and the wrath of Alan's man at arms.

Then his hand slammed down hard upon the table, his other cocking to lunge for her throat. Intending on hauling her forcefully from the table and then dragging her all the way back to Alan's camp. Where he could deal with this woman's disrespectful behaviour with a very, humiliating yet imaginative punishment, no doubt. That would no doubt haunt her for years to come and curb her impertinent tongue permanently.

His reaching hand stopped instantly, when a dagger appeared in her right hand and she deftly thrust it beneath his chin, drawing blood. The motion of the blade had been so fast, so fluid he had no time to react, he hadn't even seen it coming.

Beryl looked up at him, her glower one of displeasure and defiance.

"Now, I believe I have been more then polite. But you don't seem to be listening to me." She stated in a very even but dangerous tone. "As I have said, I am rather busy and I have no time to spare for the likes of your commander. " She pushed the man back another step with the point of her blade.

The man glared down at her, appalled by how easily she had rendered him defenceless.

"Now, please go and leave me in peace." She finished, watching him slowly back away and take his leave.

Endymion stood in the doorway, his hand braced upon the hilt of his sword. Casting Beryl a proud, if awed smirk at how formidable she had become. The man paid him no notice, pushing past him and out of the doors in a humiliated rush. Beryl quickly sheathed her blade and jogged towards the side hall that lead out the back of the kitchens. Endymion was quickly on her heels, as she past threw the large kitchen. An older, kind looking woman stood near the stone hearth, once tending the iron pot of stew. She now regarded Beryl with deep concern.

Beryl stopped just before the back doors, giving the woman a broad reassuring smile.

"Do not fret so, Marjorie. I have dealt with Alan before, he shall not have me again. I promise this time, I will keep the village safe."

Endymion cast Beryl a searching look, so much had happened while he was gone. He dreaded as much as he yearned to find out what had happened to her, to forge her into the weapon she had become.

With that she dashed out of the inn and into the night with Endymion on her heels.

They walked down the main street, not speaking. Endymion was keeping a close watch on the shadows making sure no more would be escorts were laying in wait for Beryl. While Beryl seemed to be fuming, her rage simmering near the surface. As she stormed down the street heading out of town. As they approached the town hall, Endy tentatively reached for her. She snapped her arm out of his grip, casting him a threatening look that quickly evaporated into one of shame. She had been so wrapped up in her brooding vengeance she had inadvertently accosted Endymion. Who chuckled ruefully, massaging his wrist. Her abrupt, unexpected swing had twisted his wrist slightly.

"Sorry...I'm little on edge right now." She apologized.

"I can understand that, but my steed is just over there. I am sure we can make better time on him then walking." he offered with a charming smile, that instantly put Beryl at ease. She grinned back, striding over to a nearby red wood while he untied his stallion from the pitching post.

When he was done and the horse had nudged his palm affectionately a few times. He turned to offer her to mount first.

Finding her leaning against the tree, glowering darkly at the hall. As the jubilant music filled the night.

"Do you not like to dance?" he teased, merrily.

Beryl chuckled. "I loved to dance." she turned to face him, her features somber and full of sad reflection.

Endymion felt his stomach plummet at the veiled trauma he saw in her eyes. This dance held only bad memories for her, ones she never wished to dwell upon.

Beryls eyes filled with regret, as she glared at the hall. Loathing its very existence.

"Whats the matter?" Endymion inquired.

She gave him a direct look. "This lottery is so archaic, don't you think?"

"Well, yes. I guess it is rather old fashioned to force young people to marry?" He laughed lightly, not wanting to seem rude as she seemed to want to open up to him. He sighed and gave her shoulders a companionable squeeze. Just like he used to, when they were kids and she looked ready to cry.

"Imagine, how I felt coming to this thing three years ago." She growled. "Like a cow put on show for every eligible male to inspect. Except, I wasn't born around here. I'm an outsider, an untrustworthy match since I have no ancestors from around here to gauge my character against. So I didn't warrant even a second glance, I was left standing in a corner. Waiting for any one of them to gain the courage to speak to me, let alone dance with me. But none of those superstitious louts would even look at me. I have never in all my life felt so rejected, so utterly worthless."

She hadn't said it, but he had felt it. Her hurt feelings of betrayal and abandonment slammed into his heart straight and true like a sword strike. His chest ached with the painful heartache and humiliation she had endured. He stopped holding her shoulder's and reached for her hand. Rubbing aimlessly at his chest as he guided her silently away from the hall and towards his mount. He couldn't deal with the sorrow that washed over her as she dwelled upon that terrible night. Needing to get her away from here, to a place filled with happier moments. Beryl gave the warm glowing hall one last bitter glance, before climbing up onto the saddle. Endymion mounted behind her in one swift movement, pulling the reigns gingerly to get his horse moving.

They rode down the main road, neither looking back again. The dance taunting them both. As it was in full swing, with merry music and sounds of excited happy voices enjoying the nights festivities.

The night was warm, with a gentle fragrant breeze of wild flowers blowing over the fields. It was a perfect night. A night

Beryl had dreamed of for nearly six years. She leaned back against her prince, basking in the warm comfort he provided.

A sense of security she had missed terribly over the long, lonely years.

Endymion sighed, as he felt her slight weight shift against him. Holding the reigns a little tighter to stave off the impulse to wrap an arm around her middle to make sure she didn't move away. But such intimate contact was to soon, it might frighten or repulse her. She was strung so tight, like a bow string pulled taunt. He had much to atone for, before he offered her his honest affections. By the Gods he had missed her. There had never been a day that he didn't think about her, even for just little while. Wondering how her life was going, worrying about what kind of trouble she might be getting into with out him to protect her. He had so many questions, he didn't even know where to start. But he was sure that he wanted to take this reunion slowly, he did not want to ruin things with her.

The soft lantern light from the modest decorations along the road, cast Beryl in a gentle glow. She clutched the leather horn of his saddle, keeping her eyes sharp as if expecting more of Alan's men to come at her now that they were leaving the village. Endymion had a chance now to really study her. So he took advantage. Her breeches were a faded grey tone. Made of old, boiled leather meant to fit a man's build. They hung strange off her curving hips, bunching around the waist. They were kept in place only because of her wide dagger belt. He wondered were would she have gotten such clothes. When he left she only own a couple cotton dresses and her broad cloth servants uniform.

Her tunic was a dark blue, perhaps velvet cut with more of a feminine appeal. With a curving neckline and modest piece of lace accenting the upper swells of her breasts. Studded down the middle with a line of small silver buttons. Her cloak was heavy and a dull green, a forester's shield against the weather. She must had been living outdoors, no doubt for some time. What had happened to her cottage? Was her mother still alive?

He hadn't hear the whole of the conversation back at the Inn, but enough to ascertain that she was worried. She looked stricken, even though she tried to hide it behind a strong, independent mask. She was fretting about this Alan character and what kind of threat he posed to the village. Even after all those years of being seen as an outcast, a foreigner not to be trusted. She still cared deeply for his home and the people who lived here. She had protected that little girl and he wondered how many nights she taken it upon herself to keep the streets safe for others?

It was then he noticed the small scars along her wrists that spoke of a very unsavoury attack that must have lead her upon this path. The thick calluses on her fingers from hours of weapons training. Confirming that she was no doubt a vigilanty, who had been prowling the village nightly with her own brand of justice. But the Inn keeper seemed to like her, the farmer's saw her as no threat. She seemed to be welcomed among them, so her identity as this nightly soldier of justice must still be a secret. Or they all knew and appreciated what she did for them?

He wished he could gauge her complexion and see if she was healthy or ailing. He wanted to see the mixture of emotions now crossing her beautiful face, echoing in her gorgeous green eyes, but the light was to weak. He was desperate to know every detail of her life since his departure. A cold burn of dread had ignited in his gut at the sight of those scars and he wondered if could endure the tale, if she even wished to tell it.

"Whats the plan, then for you. Beryl?" He offered.

"I wish for you to drop me off at the edge of the village, I plan to scour the countryside tonight and find out where that bastard Alan has encamped his men." She growled back.

"Sounds like a rather miserable way to spend the night." He smiled down at her tenderly.

"There are varying degrees of misery, my lord. Trust me I've known many." She spat back sarcasticly.

Endy heart sank at those words, the guilt he felt at leaving resonating powerfully in his gut like the strike of mace. What had she gone through with out him? Did he have any way to heal the damage the years had wrought upon her heart.

"I have an idea." he smirked, casting his head around as they left the village behind. Gauging his surroundings, searching for that ribbon of deep green in the distance that was his cherished red wood forest. It had been his sanctuary and no doubt became Beryl's as well. He had never liked being indoors for very long. So had spent his youth wandering aimlessly among the towering oaks and red woods of the sprawling forest that was a natural barrier wall around the Golden Palace. He had spent the last six years exploring the world, sleeping out in the open more then in the stuffy confines of local inn's. Even though he had resented the pilgrimage, it had been the source of the most contentment he had felt in his young life. Coming home hadn't been peaceful at all, the turmoil that was now raging inside him was overwhelming. His mind had become a battle ground of waring thoughts. His kingdom was in ruins, his father had become a tyrant and his mother...what had happened to her? She had always been the source of reason that kept his father's radical thinking in check? Even though these worrisome thoughts plagued him, he was unwilling to dwell just yet on the coming heated confrontation between him and his father. He wanted one more night of peace, to bask in the contentment only his forests embrace could provide.

Beryl cast him a confused glance, as he guided the horse off the road. Urging the stallion up a shallow incline of a hill and then down the other side. When she saw the green wood stretching in the distance, a fond, welcoming smile spread over her face and she nodded in understanding.

"Our forest is rather over grown and somewhat untrustworthy now, my lord. Many thieves hide out within the glades. I suggest you leave your steed to roam upon the prairies. We can recall him upon dawn, I am sure he is well trained and will not go far." She warned quietly.

Endymion narrowed his eyes in frustration, at how truly unlawful his kingdom had become. Then mutely coincided, nodding briskly.

The quarter moon was rising over the tree tops when they approached the outer growth of the forest. He dismounted and then kindly helped Beryl down beside him. Once dismounted he dug through his saddle bags for his pack and sleeping roll. Slinging them over his shoulder's, he quickly rummaged through the saddle bag draped over the stallions other flank. Pulling out some dried meat, cheese and a husk of rye bread. Then with a small, eager smile he lifted a worn leather sack from the large storage bag. He tucked the sack carefully in his bag.

"I collected many trinkets for you from my journey." He called, happily. Slapping the stallion's rump to get it moving. Finding Beryl standing upon a grassy bluff a very yards away, staring at him in shocked disbelief that he would be so thoughtful.

He cast her a knowing smile, she was always so stunned to receive kindness. It was humble and tragic at the same time. He lightly placed the small bag of tokens into her hand. She grinned eagerly up at him and like a child, over come by curiosity. She promptly sat upon the hillside, pulling the ties open. He laughed and followed her down to the ground. Watching her fondly as she inspected gratefully every little bobble he had collected for her. He explained each ones significants, how he had never forgotten her. How he had missed her every day and collecting these objects gave him hope that she would still be waiting for him when he got back. Stroking away her tears with his finger's when they came. Caressing her heated cheek tenderly when she became overwhelmed by his sweet words. When his heart had been laid bare and she once more welcomed him back into hers. He gently reached for her hand and strode off down the hillside towards the line of saplings that grew upon the fringe of the forest.

They took to the hills with a jubilant air, as if their youth had reclaimed them. Jogging up steep grades, racing each other among the trees. Seeking to disappear into the forest as they had so frequently as children. Often he found himself lagging behind, just admiring her. She seemed to light hearted now, full of whimsy and cheer. Forgetting he was there several times, she would dart off forcing him to release her hand. To swing herself around spindled trunks of young elms, laughing with a merry abandon. She would remember him then and slow her steps, offering him her hand. Then urging them both deeper into the wood. In the end he refused to let her go again, hanging on tight as her building excitement spurned her into a full sprint down a narrow, winding trail. He laughed along with her, as they disappeared into the thick growth of trees, hand in hand, slowing to a brisk but more reasonable pace.

They cleared the summit of a large hill amid the looming red woods, she stopped in a shaft of illuminated the red tint of her dark brunette hair, accenting her wild, untamed beauty. Glancing around the heavy growth below more cautiously now, searching for the tell tale flicker of fire light. She did not want to stumble upon any brigands encampment, it would really dampen her evening.

"Almost there." She whispered and Endymion could see her eyes sparkling in the dark. "Close your eyes." She turned and grinned up at him. Her face shone with hope, innocently pleading for him to agree to her demands. That he willingly went along with her game.

Endymion gave her an indulgent smile then with a sigh, complied and closed his eyes. She giggled, and it warmed his heart. She sounded just like the little girl he once new. It gave him hope that she wasn't truly lost to the bitterness and hatred he had seen earlier. He followed blindly, as she led him down the hill and to the right. Gently guiding him through the thick trees, towards her secret destination.

"Watch your step, loose stones." She warned, tightening her grip on his hand as they headed upward again. Then veered left and wound down another shallow decline. "Watch out for the roots, lift your legs up high." she instructed. He huffed and did as he was told. "Ok, there's a hole in front of your left foot, lets go around...like this." she mumbled, pulling him out of danger. He felt her stop as he stepped around it and he nearly crashed into her.

Her breath was shallow and hot against his neck, his heart sped up and he swore her's did too. As she quickly cleared her throat and released his hand. Taking a tentative step back, as if seeking some space.

The intimate tension that bloomed between them had been to overwhelming.

"Not to far now, open your eyes." she sighed wistfully.

He slowly opened his eyes, allowing them to adjust to the dim light. As the lush hidden glade she had lead him into came into focus, his breath left him. It stretch out just below him in the moonlight. with a barrier of dark wild roses growing along it's boundary. Protecting the pale, more delicate flowers that grew within. Giant red woods looming around the glade blocking it from view along the forest paths. Climbing this steep hill seemed the only way to find this secret garden. In the far corner of the glade grew a great willow tree, it's trunk bending towards a dappled stream. The beauty of the place was beyond his words to describe so he merely took her hand and led her down the hill. Giving her an approving smile full of wonder.

"Do you have a name for this place?" He inquired as they ducked under a low branch and entered the secluded garden.

"Mine." She stated, bluntly.

Making him pause and stare back at her. She held his gaze with such strength of conviction he could only nod.

As quickly as the possessive tension between them had risen it evaporated away, back into that safe, secure sense of friendship. She headed over to the willow tree and flopped down on the grass beneath it's flowering canopy. Crossing her arms behind her head to stare up at the stars. He gratefully followed her lead, lying out beside her. Admiring her as much as the blanket of stars above, twinkling majesticly down at them.

"This is my refuge, no one knows of this place but me. I come here to think, to find solace when things get to much for me to handle. I hope that I can trust you to keep this place secret, to keep it hidden. I think losing this place to others would shatter me completely." She admitted, begrudgingly.

Endymion looked down at her and for the first time, he saw a fragility to her that he had never seen before. She had always had a tough veneer, a sense of invulnerability she wore like armour against the worlds constant disappointments. Acting as if nothing truly mattered to her, or that nothing could ever hurt her at least not permanently. She swore always that she was a survivor, spouting her philosophy of ever onward. Like a prayer to keep her heart safe.

He felt her pressence reenter his heart in that same familiar, tender way it had when they were kids. He wanted only to care for her, protect her as he should have over the years. If duty hadn't gotten in the way. He adjusted his position upon the grass, propping himself up on an elbow. Staring down at her with a new found affection, that had not been there or at least not in full bloom when they were children. She was exquisite, her dark beauty bathed in the soft shine of the moonlight. Surrounded by the forest he loved, he couldn't help but feel that same yearning towards her. It was as if the old saying were true, absence truly did make the heart grow fonder.

"Well, what do you think?" She asked, anxiously. Never drawing her face away from the blanket of stars. As if worried he might be disappointed with her refuge. Endymion had always been the leader when they explored the forest, always the one to find the small hidden oasis's that he would eventually share with her. This was her find and she was nervous that it would not compare to the wonder's he had found, or seen beyond Elysian. She was not a self conscious person naturally, but with the Prince. She found herself always striving for equal footing. The ground she sought to climb between them had always been uncertain, she could not always trust her footing would remain solid. It was a tireless journey, a some what unachievable goal. Since his higher station in life always gave him the advantage. But she strove towards being equal none the less.

"It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen." He answered, reaching nervously for a stray strand of dark hair and tucking it sweetly behind her ear. Drawing her attention away from the stars, she smiled cautiously up at him. Wondering what his intentions would be after such an intimate touch.

Awkwardly he leaned over her, drawing closer to her lips. Hoping to find hers willing. He had never kissed a woman before, but his compulsion to do so now, had been beyond his control. It seemed as if every second since meeting her again had lead up to his pivotal moment. He moved with a controlled slowness, pleading to the gods that she wouldn't reject his advances. Wouldn't grow stiff beneath him or shun away in horror. This was a very bold step to take after just finding each other again.

When his intentions became clear, Beryl's heart leaped with joy. She had prayed to the gods for countless years for this very moment. She smiled and closed her eyes, sighing in contentment as she arched upward into his kiss. He was delighted, to feel her move eagerly against him. Her lips were soft and warm, the sensation sending the most welcomed shivers through out his body. Then her hands were cupping his face and drawing him away. At first he thought she was rejecting him, a cold burn ignited in his gut. But as he opened his eyes, he found her staring up at him in wonder.

Then just as the happiness of the moment began to envelop him, his minds eye flashed with a blinding crimson light. He saw the valleys, forests and fields of Elysian burning! The caustic smoke billowed up into the sky blocking the day light and casting the smouldering remains of his kingdom into a suffocating fog.

The farms and villages had been reduced to ashe, the streams ran red with blood. Endymion started to tremble at the sight of the devastation. Never had he experienced such an intense vision of death before.

As a child of the royal house of Elysian it was in his bloodline to possess the power of psychometry.

He couldn't shake himself awake from the premonition of doom. As the blackened earth raised up before him like a mighty tide, with glowing red eyes. That pierced his very soul with a such a sinister aura, he felt himself stop breathing at the terror it instilled upon him.

"Sire!..." Beryl's voice called to him in alarm. "My prince...come back to me." She pleaded, her voice was shaking with worry. She sorrow snapped himself forcefully out his waking nightmare. Never wanting to hear such pain and heartbreak in her voice ever again. In a rush the peaceful atmosphere of the moonlit forest swam back into focus. He took a much needed breath of air, finding her looking up at him with confusion. Her fingers still resting gently upon his cheeks, searching his eyes for clarity that he was with her again.

He slowly reached up and took her hand in his. His own hands shaking uncontrollably. Never in his life had ever experience such raw, hatred. What he saw in those eyes was pure evil and they burned right through him like the fires of hell.

"My Prince..." Beryl's eyes grew darker, with concern. The sparkle of delight now replaced with dire worry.

"I need to work out what I saw before I tell you about it..." He breathed, flopped back upon the grass. Pinching the bridge of his nose, his stomach was cramping and he felt sick. He needed to purge those final reflections of fear and loathing from his soul. Taking one deep breath after another, he sought to calm himself. Focusing on the steady beat of his own heart, meditating as he had been instructed to do when his powers manifested. Allowing the emotional turmoil the vision had inflicted upon him to pass through his body and dissipate into the universe again.

Beryl's concern was growing at every passing moment. Endymion looked horrified and the pallor of his skin was pale, almost greenish. As if he had been poisoned some how by just touching her! She squeezed his hand in a effort to calm him. Never wanting to believe his ailing was her fault, but still she couldn't help the guilt that swamped over her. He was breathing hard, in sharp rapid breaths. Trying to shake the panic and emotional upheaval the vision had incited within him.

Endymion groaned in pain, squeezing his eyes shut. Had he really just witness the end of his kingdom? Was it by war? Or by some other worldly force. Was this outcome avoidable? Could he some how change fate, was it his father's fault or his own? All these warring thoughts ravaged his conscience in a matter of seconds. Going round and round like a snake devouring it own tale.

Thankfully his inherently logical mind took control. His mind cleared and he became acutely aware of what was within his power to control. It wasn't much, but for now he could focus only on his own decisions. He could only work to save his kingdom from eventual destruction, as the pieces of the puzzle presented themselves. With that settled his fear began to subside. He was here to save his people from that horrible fate. Here to protect his best, most dearest friend. She would want for nothing now, he would make sure she was safe and cared for. He could not bear for her to hurt or suffer on her own any longer. He promised himself to always be by her side, to support and aid her in every one of her ambitions. She had always been so much more then just a simple maiden. She wanted to learn, to be self sufficient and successful in this life. She had hopes and dreams far grander then her station and he promised he would be by her side when she achieved them.

He refocused his gaze upon her and smiled. Offering her stricken expression a small, if pleading smile for forgiveness.

As a slow understanding fell over him, he loved her...

Perhaps he had always loved her, he just hadn't been old enough to understand. With this clarity came a sense of assurances that he had come back for a reason. Joy and contentment swelled in his heart as he reached for her again. He took her face in his hands and pulled her into him. Anointing her lips with another more passionate kiss. "I am sorry if I scared you." He whispered against her ear as he released her.

As she pulled back a little, she gave him a tight, understanding smile. "It's ok, but I want you to tell me about what you saw...when your ready." She offered, trying to sound patient. When she actually felt like screaming inside. He had seen something so horrible it had devastated him on the inside, somehow she was connected to that vision. She just knew it! This wasn't the first time she had experienced the Princes celestial powers, she had been around the last time he had had a premonition. As he had tried and failed to protect his favourite steed from being gored by a wild boar, on his father's last hunting expedition. She hated, beyond measure the helpless waiting that followed such visions. Until the portended omens began to show themselves, they wouldn't know what path to follow and what pit falls to avoid.

He caressed her cheek with his fingers, drawing her gaze back to him. He studied her distressed expression with sympathy. He wanted to soothe her worry, assure her that when the time came. He would make the right decisions and save them all. Her eyes sought his, dark with concern and sympathy of her own. She hated that he had to endure such painful sights, the gods were so unfair. He was just a mortal man, how would he change fates plan?

He saw the depth of how much she cared for him, worried about him and a tenderness swelled in his heart. If the final end was coming for them, if he couldn't stop the destruction, as long as they were together he was alright with it. The moonlight shifted in the sky, blanketing the grass around them in a silver light. He leaned down needing to solidify his intent to be with her, she meant everything to him and he could see no future with out her in it. He kissed her lips, lingering longer this time. When he darted his tongue out, giving her plump lower lip a tentative lick. She parted her lips slightly, filling his mouth with her sweet breath. The intimacy was intense and his stomach once again turned queasy. It was a wonderful, dizzying euphoria as he sought to seduce her. His hands roved over her body, touching, caressing every inch of her hips and stomach. Seeking the courage to release her from her confining clothes.

He drew back as he felt her begin to tremble under his hands. Finding her gazing up at him with both awe and worry. "Is this what you truly want? My prince?" She whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. If he was to belittle what was happening between them, or even laugh at the prospect of bedding her. She knew her heart would shatter completely. Nothing good or pure ever happened to her and she was having a very hard time accepting that perhaps this time, her greatest wish was actually coming true.

Endymion was astonished at how fragile she looked. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears, her body rigid and quivering with raw nerves.

"Want..." He mulled the word over for a bit. The ramifications of what he was planing to do with her, hitting home. She was a peasant and he was royalty. He could never marry her or love her openly at court. She would become his dirty little secret, a kept woman that he would retreat to for solace and momentary physical gratification. Was this something Beryl could accept?

"I need you...Beryl. But do you want to be with me knowing that we could never marry or love each other openly? That I would have to eventually marry some prim and proper, self involved princess. Make her my queen instead of you. That I would have to sow my seed inside of her to create a so called proper, royal heir. Are you alright with being my secret beloved only? " He asked, nervously.

Her face held no trepidation or shame. She stared directly up at him. "I've wished for you make me yours for countless years. I have dreamed of this moment, it was what gave me hope that I would see you again. I don't care what the world thinks of me, I only care about how you view me. I am fine with being the other women as long as I know your heart is devoted to me only." She gasped, forcing herself to speak through the tears. "I only want you to love me." She finished, drawing him down upon her. Ducking her head into the hollow between his neck and shoulder's as shuddering sobs over took her. Clutching at his back and holding him close, needing the reassurance of his weight upon her to soothe the ache she felt deep inside. She could never truly have him as she had truly dreamed, she could never be his equal. She would have to compromise if she wanted to claim even a shred of her happiness. Being with him in anyway she could have him would be good enough for her ,she promised herself.

When she composed herself, he drew away.

Offering her that same, crooked, reassuring smile she remembered from their youth. Then he loosened the draw string of her cloak, allowing it to fall back upon the ground. "I have never really done this before...no woman has ever compelled me enough to try." His shy compliment and admittance to his virginity was humbling. Beryl smiled sweetly up at him, appreciating his honest candour with her. That fact that he put on no airs around her, that with her he was true self meant more to her then anything. His own cloak quickly followed, he spread them out and soon he had positioned them upon the makeshift bed. He marvelled at how bold and self assured she was. As she lay beneath him upon their cloaks, unbuttoning her tunic one silver button at a time. As she drew the garment over her head, casting it aside. Revealing to him the full, bare swells of her breasts. They were flawless, soft curves with sweet pink nipples. He felt all the blood drain from his face and pool somewhere below his waist. Painfully aware of how nervous he truly was about making love to her. He had never done this before and was worried his performance might be rather underwhelming.

While he fretted over his coming performance, she deftly disrobed him of his own shirt. Admiring his strong, well muscled chest. He's body was perfect and incredibly hard. Every curve and valley of his chest was finely sculpted. From his narrow hips to his broad shoulders. His abdomen was solidly formed with six tight packs of hard muscle. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.

Then she stilled his worries with a kiss, leaning up and sealing her mouth to his. Her tongue slid sensuously inside his mouth. Making all his senses scatter to the winds, with her bare breasts pressed up against his heated skin. Her nipples were hard and the friction of them rubbing against him was beyond compare. His cock was now straining against his breeches, it was perverse how easily she had taken the lead in their love making. He felt more like the virginal maiden, then she was...then it struck him like a bolt of lightening.

He grabbed her shoulder's and pushed her forcefully away from him. Their lips parted with a loud smacking sound, as she stared up at him in both alarm and uncertainty. His retreat had been so abrupt so forceful she was left floundering as to what to do or what might have happened to dampen their passion.

"Has a man ever bedded you?" he inquired, softly.

Beryl swallowed hard, shame and regret heating her face as she rolled away. Feeling that perhaps this was a mistake, he could never forgive her what she had done to survive.

"This was a mistake...I should go." She whispered, frustrated at how pathetic and hurt she sounded.

"Beryl..." He urged, refusing to allow her to leave. Grappling her by the shoulder's and pressing her back down upon their cloaks. "I won't judge you, I just really need to know. You seem so much more confident in this then I am."

She refused to look at him, casting her head to the side and staring off into the night with a haunted, pained expression. "Several years ago, my mother got very sick. She couldn't work at the Palace any more and I couldn't seem to make enough money to pay for the proper healers or the medicines with proper work. " She took a deep breath, needing to fortify herself. This confession was painful and she hated having to resurrect such detestable memories. "It wasn't my first choice, but I was desperate. So I sold my virginity to Alan of Makaiju for a hefty enough sum. It was enough to pay for my mother's medicine and make sure we did not starve that winter. But my mother died anyway by spring and the money didn't last nearly long enough. I soon found myself once again selling my services to other men. It took me a long time to free myself from that less then desirable profession. I will never prostitute myself ever again!" Admitting that she was sullied, hurt deeply. As if a jagged knife had just been sliced across her heart, leaving it shredded and struggling to beat. He would never want some other man's whore, her silly girlish dreams of being his woman were now ash. She attempted to curl herself away from him, fighting against the sobs that were threatening again. But this time they were not tears of joy but anguish.

"Come' ere." he growled as she desperately tried to disentangle herself from him. He shoved her down on the ground again, taking full control. He was spurned now by an intense desire to brand her, mark her as his and make damn sure she knew whom she belonged to. No other man would ever have her this way again. All his nervous feelings had fled, he threw caution to the wind and allowed his passions to guide him. He promised himself that she would know with out a doubt tonight that he wanted her, just as she was.

A frightened gasp escaped her mouth, before he covered it with his. His tongue rasped against her lips, light and coaxing. He teased the seam of the mouth, urging her to open to him. Slowly her rigid posture, relaxed and she melted against him again. Curling her arms around his neck and delving her fingers into his thick dark hair. Sighing in utter bliss as he pillaged her mouth with his tongue. Probing the inside of her mouth, stroking her tongue with delicate precision. Each caress of his hands against the soft flesh of her sides incited a deep response inside her stomach. A penetrating ache started to throb down low near her sex. She craved him like a drug, her exploring hands now rubbing eagerly over his shoulder blades. Enjoying how the tight muscles there bunched and flexed as he stared to unbuckle her dagger belt and push her trouser's down her hips.

His kisses were making her skin tingle, her breasts felt heavy and a cagey jittery feeling was creeping up her spine.

Making her squirm with need. She couldn't wait any longer she needed him inside! The anticipation was to painful.

Her hands were trembling horribly as she sought the button of his own breeches. When he pulled away she was left dazed and utterly defenceless against him. As he pulled her pants clear off her legs, tossing her dagger belt with a dull thud soon after. Leaving her in nothing by her panties, to shield what she had left of her dignity. He was acting like a man possessed, the tender, nervous young man he had been at the beginning had been replaced by a fierce lover, intend on claiming her in every way.

She braced her palms upon his chest, as he shimmied out of his own pants. Tossing his sword belt aside, it hit the ground with a dull thud at the base of the willow tree.

She blinked rapidly trying to reclaim some of her senses, as he hovered over her. His powerful body was amazing, the rock hard contours her hands were skimming over was intoxicating. He was so gorgeous, like a majestic lion. He sought to dominate her smaller body with his, cover her completely. She felt vulnerable and naked, spread out beneath him like a frail little lamb. As he slacked his lust upon every inch of her hot skin. Licking her throat from her chin to her collar bone, again and again. A low possessive growl issued from his chest, as he devoured her neck.

Suckling hard upon her earlobe, "You are beautiful and you are mine." he whispered in a husky, breathless voice. Before laying a path of kissed downwards towards her breasts, sending a layer of gooseflesh to dot her skin.

She shivered at the carnality of his voice, her skin felt far to tight, hot and twitchy. As his palms glided up her waist and then up, his finger's dug into her flesh. Branding her skin with the heat of his touch, as they moved over every inch of her body.

He cupped a breast in his large hand, palming it again and again. As it swelled into his touch, her nipples beaded so tight. Tiny echos of pleasure began to course through her belly, igniting that familiar burn from deep inside her sex.

Then his lips ghosted over that already over sensitive nipple, as he flicked his tongue over the hard nub. She promptly called out as a small orgasm rocked her body. He suckled hard upon her breast, nibbling at the curving swell as he moved to the other breast. Leaving the first wet and chilled in the warm air, as he mouthed the other. Luxuriating upon her breasts, in a relaxed, easy manner that was driving her crazy. He suckled in turns, gentle and rhythmic. His tongue circling the sensitive flesh surrounding her nipples. She arched against him, crying out again her hands flying into his hair.

"Your skin is so soft, its exquisite." he muttered, lapping and suckling tenderly upon her nipple. He trailed a hand down her flank,his finger's searching downward for her sex.

She tried to breath, but her lungs burned with the effort. Left panting in shallow gasps, as he drove her lust to new heights. Not knowing where to caress him next and overwhelmed by his seduction, she allowed her arms to flop down upon the earth. Her hands curled wantonly towards her cheeks, her chest heaving with desire as his hand finally palmed her sex beneath her underwear.

She raked her eyes down his rugged body, needing to see the steel length of his erection currently thrusting proudly against her stomach. With a nervous swallow she found her courage and pulled his underwear down his legs. Releasing his cock into view. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. Jutting so hard, so hot and heavy towards her. He was large, the rigid length was more then she had ever seen before. It honestly didn't surprise her, he had never been average. Not in intellect or in physical ability, it wasn't a stretch that he would be well endowed down there as well.

As he raised his head from her breast, she offered him an eager, approving smile. He chuckled, somewhat smugly as he pushed her panties down her legs. Then his questing finger's once resting comfortingly against her sex, delved between the wet folds. His fingers rubbed gently against a very sensitive spot at the apex of her sex. Slowly applying more pressure and rolling the nub in a circular fashion. Beryl gasped in shock that he was so knowledgable about pleasuring a woman, when just a few minutes ago he had admitted this was his first time.

Endymion smiled proudly down at her, catching on to her astonishment. "I was always in the pressence of four much older, much more experienced princes. Who were rather boastful about their own conquests over the years. So I was able to learn, albeit by osmosis how to please a woman." He offered.

Beryl sighed and laughed softly, squeezing her eyes shut tight as her body was bombarded with the most intense waves of pleasure. Her body tightened again, her inner muscles clenching hard. She felt like she was falling, precarious and out of control.

"Endymion!" She cried and bucked into his hand.

Never had she used his name so formally, Endymion was startled at first. Then an amused smile pulled upon his lips, hearing her cry out his name so passionately felt right. If things had been different, if she had been born into a higher station then she may have always regarded him by his first name and not his title.

His name had fallen loose in a wanton cry of rapture, her blurry mind slowly came to understand her digression. Her face instantly heated up in mortification, realizing she had a death grip upon his hair at the same time. She laughed softly and let go, her hands falling limply back to the ground.

He continued onward with his chosen seduction of her. Trailing his tongue down her midline, circling her belly button briefly as he continued on course towards the area his finger's were currently caressing. Leaving a damp trail down from her breasts over the trembling flesh of her stomach. As she was now heaving for breath, never had she ever been worshiped so passionately by a man. Endymion was focused solely on her pleasure, wanting to give her the most wonderful experience possible. She felt cherished and...loved.

The tears of gratitude overflowed her eyes and trailed silently down her face, as she watched him anoint the silken skin of her inner thigh with his kisses. She propped herself up on her elbows watching with fascination as he drew closer to the place that was now aching for him.

Wondering if he was going to kiss her there? If it was a decent thing for a prince to do. She was nothing...a common woman. She didn't deserve a royal, paying such erotic homage to her.

When his mouth found her heat with a lusty, sinful kiss. It made every muscle in her body twitch and convulse as if she had just been struck by lightening.

She knew she should tell him to stop, that it wasn't right. Offer to lavish him in the attentions he deserved, but by the gods she couldn't do more then lay there and pant in breathless gasps. She couldn't think beyond anything but for him not to stop.

Please don't stop...

"I need to be inside of you..." he muttered against her most intimate flesh.

Her legs spread wider with out further coaxing. Inviting him to enter her, but he was once again taking his time pleasing her. His mouth was making her dizzy and mindless, his tongue delved deep inside of her. Lapping at her folds and spearing her again and again. It was hot and erotic, the pleasure washing over her was indescribable. It soared up from her belly, making her vision water with more tears. Her fingers twisted into the folds of their cloaks worried if she didn't hang on tight then she might just fly off somewhere in pure ecstasy. She had no control over herself any longer, bucking and twisting. Her body shaking with the tremors from deep inside, her thighs shivering as she became a mass of quaking, yearning flesh.

"Are you ready for me?" he inquired, his voice was deep, resonating with a hoarse, desperate tone.

She opened her eyes staring down at him with yearning, finding his dark blue eyes bright and savage with want.

"I am." She breathed.

Endymion gave her an approving smile, moving up her body swiftly. He cupped her bottom with one hand, adjusting her posture to fit against him more easily. He settled himself between her legs. She could feel him, hot and incredibly hard, cradled against her entrance.

They stared up into each others eyes for a moment, speaking with out words how much this moment meant to each of them. They were best friends and now they would become so much more then just that. After tonight they would be lovers, they would know everything that their was about each other.

He leaned down and fused his mouth over hers, as he sank himself slowly inside of her. She opened her mouth, putting all her passion, all of her need, all of her love into that kiss.

He crossed his arms beneath her, pulled up close to his chest. Holding her tightly, as he began to rock himself gently inside of her, striving to go deeper. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulder's and dug her finger's into his back. All the while she was kissing him, tasting every inch of his mouth. Devouring him, absorbing him, breathing him in with every gasp of air.

He moaned low in his throat as he felt her surround him. She stretched to accommodate him, her inner muscles wrapping around him like a snug sword sheath.

She felt wonderful...

She felt perfect...

This was home...

He kissed her again, then rested his forehead against hers. Their eyes were close, he was soon enraptured by the pure, emerald depths of her eyes. So vibrant and shimmering with tears, as she took in one ragged breath after another. She was exhilarated, but scared at the same time. Never had she ever felt so vulnerable before.

"I will never hurt you." He promised.

"I know..." She breathed, blinking back tears as she smiled weakly. Wanting more then anything to trust his words. Believing that he would always care for her in some way, cherish this time together. She loved him with all of her heart, had for a very long time. But she knew deep down, that he could never truly love her back. Even though he might not want to hurt her. He was destined to, she just hoped when the time came for him to move on to his future wife she would be able to let him go.

She raised her hips to greet his thrust more fully. When their lips touched again, they met with a tenderness. Moving in a delicate dance of sensual lust.

Slowly his hips moved forward, pushing himself deeper inside. Once seated firmly to the hilt, he began a slow, gentle rhythm that was stirring her insides into a frenzy. She melded against him, as he held her close. Surrendering to him, to his power and his need.

Basking in his affection and desire for her, at this moment she had become the whole of his universe. She wished to cherish this moment for the rest of her life, searing it into her memory. So that when her life took the inevitable turn back towards struggle and suffering she could resurrect this night and find solace in it's existence. Knowing that at one time her one true love had loved her back.

The muscles in his back rippled and bulged as he moved within her. Her finger's grasped and dancing across his shoulder' blades seeking purchase as his pace increased. She needed desperately to anchor herself, as she felt herself flying apart. His thrusts became more forceful, his low sounds of pleasure vibrated against the crown of her head. As she was completely cradled in his arms, held tight and dominated as he sought his pleasure. His sighs mixed with hers, the air around them was heavy with the scent of their loving.

The strength of his arms holding her comforted her like nothing else could, but she needed more. She wrapped her legs around his waist, holding onto him tight with her arms until she felt they were completely entwined. She never wanted to let him go, never wanted them to come apart.

He was pounding himself inside of her, his movement were frantic and wild. The sound of his hips impacting against her flesh echoed around them. Unable to control his desires to sate the restless need he felt for release.

She held on, the pleasurable stirring of her own climax rippled through her. He had her pressed up against his chest so tightly, breathing hurt, so she stopped. Closing her eyes she reached for that irrepressible sensation of bliss, then she came apart in his arms. Screaming to the heavens as the arched against him. Her orgasm exploding inside of her like fireworks, from deep within her body. Every corner of her body was filled with pure rapture. Pulsing and exploding deep inside her belly, rippling over her, all they way down to her toes. That were currently curled and her thighs had a death grip on his hips.

She was totally bewildered by the intensity of the moment. She had lost all control of her body, she couldn't form thoughts not even words. Her body felt limp, sated and relaxed. Unable to do anything but feel the final ebbing sensations of her release. Left helpless to lie in his arms, as he whispered soft words into her ear. Thrusting once, twice more deep inside of her. Moaning low and languidly as his own release rocked through his body. Slumping over her, pressing her into the earth, his softening shaft still seated firmly inside of her.

She was completely bewildered by what had just occurred between them. Her eyes were misty and unfocused, as she nestled her face into the crook of his neck. She felt boneless, so sated and relaxed she could easily fall asleep here under the stars. Endymion rested over her for a brief time, calming down from his erotic high. Breathing her in deeply, holding her close, stroking her hair and soothing her with tender words of affection. Finally he eased himself to the side of her, pressing a kiss to her temple as she curled in close to his side. Seeking his warmth and more of his comfort. He let his cheek rest against the side of her head.

"My lord..." She whispered, nervously.

It took him a moment to respond, as he was falling into that blissful sleep that accompanied strenuous love making.

"Aye..."

"I love you..." She whispered.

He sighed happily and hugged her closer to him. Yawning, she snuggled deeper into his embrace allowing sleep to claim her. Knowing with out words that he had just expressed how much he loved her too.

She wanted to stay in that memory, but the merciless, unyielding cog that was time thrust her forward. Forcing her to relive every brutal emotion, every tragic betrayal that had ultimately corrupted her soul in that life and sealed her ultimate fate. The agony of the lives to follow, ravaged her soul, twisting her heart and pulling her spirit down into that dark abyss where the monster's she knew were laying in wait for her. Devoured all the tattered pieces that were left of her...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Beginning of the End:Revistited**

The sky had opened up and the incredible downpour had soaked the outer yard around the abandoned Aquarium in seconds. The rain was beating down over the whole area as a dull roar. The cement was slick, making moving around quickly a dangerous prospect. Murky brown puddles were forming and growing in size around the uneven ground. Making the area look more like a quickly forming swamp then a closed attraction. The damp smell of mold and rust floated through the rain, as a faint putrid stench. That stung the eyes and made ones stomach twist in revulsion.

The broken down playground nearby, lurked in the gloom like a frozen, barely recognizable artifact. The bodies of the dead soldier's killed over there when the Genesis Soldier all in gold had attacked. Littered the ground, like broken toys scattered by an angry child. The gruesome aftermath of last night was a grim reminder that life was fragile and fleeting.

Staring out over the destruction and bloodshed, being slowly washed away by the rain. Left Jed cold inside, he had so many rival thoughts, waring inside his head. He had never thought he would ever be involved in something like this. His daily concerns seemed so trivial now. When faced with the secret war of super humans being wagged under the populations noses. Realizing that tonight was just another skirmish, one of many life altering battles that no one would ever know about. How many times had people like Serenity gone into battle, facing her own death head on. Just to protect the oblivious humans of this country. Putting their own lives on the line to contain the monsters who could so easily devour them. Making sure that the Keepers of such atrocities would be punished, stopped before their machinations caused destruction and unspeakable harm to the general public. Every time the world tittered on the brink of oblivion, wavering on that weak crumbling edge. The reason it didn't fall was because of these women, they had reached out and pulled them all back to safety. Protecting them secretly, so that they could live peaceful, satisfying lives. It boggled the mind...and left him humbled and very scared at the same time. What he had experienced tonight had irrevocably changed him. For the good or not, that was yet to be seen.

Jed's grim contemplations were suspended as he continued to consoling the sobbing women. Shivering from the the cold rain as much as from shock. They huddled like lost children, seeking protection in the warmth and security Jed provided. As he held them close, rubbing their arms and whispering words of reassurance. As he held a vigil over their would be executioner's. Now tied up near the cement stairs that led up to the front glass doors. When a young dusty blonde man walked out of the front entryway and into the gloom of the dawn rain storm. Carrying a dead woman in his arms, with lost steel blue eyes and wearing a dull emotionless expression. He never even acknowledged the blonde man and his crying women. Just walked onward as if in a daze, heading across the desolate courtyard towards the main parking lot.

Jed watched the traumatized young man until he was out of sight. Understanding that the pain he carried was just to great and his emotions had simply shut down. He was a human with a dead heart and a broken soul. Just going through the motions of living. Jed hung his head in remorse, this had been the craziest, most brutal night of his life. He would carry the scars in his soul for many years to come. How did one move on and live a normal life after all this?

"We gotta get Zac to the hospital!" Kane's gruff voice broke his reverie, Jed jerked his head up in fear.

Finding Kane and Hollywood supporting a dazed, stumbling Zac between them. The side of his head was caked with blood, his long wavy hair laying damp and stringy around his temples. His eyes looked lost and unfocused, as he grinned drunkenly down at his twin.

"What about the girls?" Jed offered uselessly.

"We will call the police and they will come and pick them up" Hollywood advised.

"Would that be prudent...I mean, getting the authorities involved in all this.

They can't handle this crazy shit...and I really don't think we should be drawing any attention to the girls. They might start an investigation into all this and figure out who the girls really are. Things could get far more complicated then they already are." Jed started to natter, twisting his hands nervously in front of himself. Verbalizing all the messy complications and grim scenarios to come if they got regular human's involved in all this.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Jed." Hollywood sighed heavily, giving him a sharp slap on the back to refocus him. He was overwhelmed by stress and was flying off on some random tangent. "Darien and Sere's Super Power Show has already gone viral on social media tonight. The Cats already out of the proverbial bag, there is no way to cover up the fact that super humans exist anymore. We might as well let the police do their job. For right now we need to focus on your brother." His ice blue eyes were stern, yet worried.

Jed gave him a double take, realizing what Hollywood had been so engrossed in back the hotel on his phone. He had been scanning the local social media sites, already trying to do some damage control. Jed nodded briskly then jumped to his feet dashing after the trio as they headed for the parking lot. The three women were so stunned and scared they sat dumbfounded in the rain, watching the men abandon them. Several minutes later a middle aged American stumbled out of the glass doors and into the storm. Wringing a badly torn and ragged looking cowboy hat in his hands. He ignored the whimpering, traumatized young women cowering in the rain near two unconscious soldier's. Stumbling away into the storm, muttering to himself that the end of the world was upon them.

The Aquarium's holding area deposited them on the back shoals of the island. The sandbar had become a dangerous sinkhole, that Darien and his would be companion were now fighting threw. Attempting to find firmer ground through the summer squall. Soaked to the bone, with water dripping from their long bangs and rolling down their bare backs. Both dressed only in torn dress pants and jeans, their bare chests smeared with mud, exhausted and near the end of their endurance. Staggering and stumbling through the sucking mud, both cursing and growling at the storm. Darien's eyes kept flicking back to that dagger embedded in the wild man's throat, wondering oddly how that happened. He knew better then to offer to pull it out. It was better it stayed there till he could get to a hospital, other wise he would run the risk of bleeding to death. That weapon was plugging the hole and keeping him alive for right now.

His mind wandered back to the mystery woman and her connection to Sere? Why would she kidnap his lover's corpse? The only reason he could come up with was she wanted the Silver Crystal, but why take the whole body? She could have just torn the necklace off and left, taking her body seemed a far more complicated theft.

The shallow water's of the bay were suddenly churned up with dirt and debris, drawing his attention back to the present. They glanced threw the storm over the dark water. Seeing a whirlpool form about a mile out, then the deafening thunder of the Aquarium imploding further back along the cliffs of the upper shoreline. A foggy memory of seeing the girls and Zac at the broken glass barrier to the enclosure swam to the surface of his mind. In sudden alarm, Darien scanned the rocky banks of the island. His heart already choking him was now lurching in dread. He had just lost the love of his life...he could not lose all of his friends too?

"We have to go back..." He muttered turning on his heel, lunging forward only to be tripped up by his uncooperative feet.

Falling face first into the murky water.

"If they didn't make it out before the explosions, it's already to late." Tiger stated sadly, helping Darien grimly back to his feet.

"I won't accept that!" Darien spun on him, bellowing desperately right in his face. Yanking his arm free and glaring up at the taller red head defiantly.

Tiger blinked and lightly backed away. Accepting the fact that Darien might be highly emotional and a bit reckless after losing everything he cared about. He may be the only one who truly understood the extent of the man's pain. He had already lost all that he loved once, as a child. Leaving him utterly and truly alone in this world.

He understood the magnitude of his grief. Knowing the man felt the need to roar and rage against the inevitability of what was. Giving him his space to deal with the weight of his sorrow. Watching sadly as Darien stared with bleak, lost eyes back through the rain. Shivering with rage and misery, as he searched blindly along the coast line in the general direction of the Aquarium. A desperate hope surging through his mind, as if by some miracle the girls could be found walking his way. When nothing but rain and darkness greeted him for a long time. His face became a stricken mask of pale disbelief, unable to absorb the fact that his entire family had just perished. Tiger was a silent witness to the agony slowly crushing this man heart and soul.

"The agency is cleaning house up there. Knowing them, all the left over Onii have been euthanized and the building destroyed. There would be nothing left. No bodies, no evidence that anything sinister had occurred tonight. They are thorough if nothing else." Tiger sighed, watching stoically as Darien slowly bowed his head in resignation. His body ached, and his mind was numb. He wanted to just give up and fall to the wet sand. Never to move or feel anything ever again.

"We need to keep going..." Tiger offered, placing a comforting hand on his tense shoulder.

Darien said nothing, but stared mournfully at the black water curling around his ankles.

Tiger made several strides forward in the blinding rain before noticing Darien was not following him.

"Look, your friends are gone...it's shitty. But we need to get Serenity's body back, I refuse to allow that Demon Bitch to defile it!" He snarled, stomping away into the gloom. He was furious and ashamed at not being able to protect her. If he had to do this all on his own then so be it! Darien would only slow him down anyway.

Darien squared his shoulder's and buried his grief down deep. A technique he had bitterly mastered over the bleak course of his life. He needed to stay focused, conserving what energy he still laid claim to. To continue this mad search through a hurricane. He pulled his feet out of the sucking sand and trudged after the long flaming red hair snapping in the wind before him.

"She's coming!" Tiger called excitedly, sprinting into the rain. He could smell her...alive! Her scent was exhilarating, vibrant and intoxicating. He lost all his reason and hurtled himself into the sheets of freezing rain, focused like a blood hound to seek her out.

"Hey...Wait..." Darien's body was feeling terribly drained and the struggle through the mud was only increasing his deadly fatigue. He attempted to lunge forward and keep up to the more agile man, only to trip in the sucking mud and fall ungracefully, face first onto the sodden beach yet again. By the time he had got himself back up on all fours, the man was gone. He was dizzy, starving and exhausted beyond comprehension he just could not keep up anymore. He had prided himself on being a strong, physically fit man. He was a professional cage fighter for god's sake. But the drain his Genesis Power's placed on his body was insane. A very large part of him wanted to just rest, to lay down and let the rain wash him away. All his friends were gone...the only woman he had ever loved was dead...he had nothing really to live for.

The idea held merit, so he hung his head low. Wondering if he let it all go, if he lay down here in the surf...if it would merely carry him away? To a place were it didn't hurt so much.

His entire being had been reduced to the stinging rain, pelting his sore, soaked body. The dark, all consuming gloom of the storm slowly drowning him into a lightless void. Watching the moisture drip off the ends of his black hair, creating a very hypnotic pattern of ripples in the dark puddle forming beneath his face.

What the hell was he fighting for...

With his arms trembling, legs quaking from the strain of holding up his own weight. Darien finally let himself go...collapsing to the sand face first. Uncaring about the bitter cold, the howling of the wind or crack of thunder resounding overhead. He allowed himself to fall into that pit of nothingness, were the pain of living could no longer find him. A place of morbid silence in which he could just be numb...

"Darien..." Her quiet, sweet voice called to him softly. Urging him back gently from the depths of his despair.

Her voice sounded weak and uncertain as if his name was something unfamiliar to her. Or perhaps she was just far away, her voice echoing in his mind like a lost dream. Groggily he raised his head from the ground. Finding the golden halo of her hair, cascading in damp waves over him. Her delicate face hovering over his head, crystal blue eyes close to tears. With warm, flushed cheeks dusted pink from her exertion, her nose rosy from the cold. A sweet, grateful smile spread across her lips when he acknowledged her.

"Sere...?" He questioned, her face wavering as his own tears fell. Swallowing hard, his foggy mind trying a comprehend the impossible. She was the most glorious sight he had ever witnessed.

She was alive...

"Yes..." She whispered, a huge brilliant smile spreading across her wet face. The waiter's shirt he had dressed her in earlier, was plastered to her sensual figure. The first few buttons near the folded collar now undone, showing off a great deal of her upper breasts. The necklace with her crystal was strangely absent? It was an odd realization, but he was far to tired to focus on that tiny detail right now. He was to overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for the miracle that knelt before him.

He rose up with a low grunt and a painful groan to his knees, barely keeping his balance then he lunged and wrapped her up tight in his arms. His embrace was so strong, his arms were steel bands, holding her for all that he was worth against his chest. She awkwardly embraced him around his neck, her movements jerky almost tentative. As if she was conflicted about touching him, nervous about recieving such intimate affections from him. But in a heart beat her stiff posture relaxed and she melted against him

"Your alive..." She breathed against his neck in amazement. She could feel his soul...Endymion. Her prince's soul...at least a part of it was still alive in the cycle of rebirth. She had another chance...the best chance she would ever have to getting him back. Of making him fall in love with her again.

"Yeah...I could say the same thing to you?" He nuzzled into her neck, breathing in her sweet, irresistible scent. Relishing in the softness of her body against his. The warmth she provided him. The strong beat of her heart, thumping against her breast. Vibrating through his very soul, making the world suddenly look brighter and feel more worthwhile.

"God...I can't believe it..." He moaned, brushed his knuckles down her cheek, "I thought I'd lost you, I thought I'd lost everything!" His eyes were haunted, as he held her stare. "I didn't want to live without you." His face crumpled into heart rending sobs, as he bowed his head. A broken man now whole again. Pressing his face up against her shoulder, crying and kissing her neck so tenderly. Her cold heart was warming, at the depth of his love for her. The locks she had placed upon it from ever opening up to another person falling away as he wept against her. So swept away by the joy and relief that was ebbing from him.

She held him tight, reassuring him with soft words, petting his wet hair lovingly. He allowed himself to completely fall apart in her arms, crying in that honest way. One only released when all hope had been lost and then found again. His wails were loud and strong like a child's, echoing through the storm. As he purged himself of all the anguish and strife that had accumulated in his heart up till now.

When he had managed to get his intense emotions back under control. She loosened her grip, allowing him to pull away. He beamed down at her in disbelief, cupping her cheeks in his hands. Drawing her face upward and placed a sweet, insistent kiss upon her lips. She stiffened for only a second before melting into his arms, reciprocating the kiss eagerly.

The kiss was slow, sensual and full of promise. Serenity slipped her hands into his hair, deepening the kiss. Each caress of their tongues was gentle and loving. She could feel his need, his honest affection, his undieing love and in that moment she had a sense of their forever's. It was the most beautiful feeling she had ever experienced and it was all for her. She held fast to that love, tucking it away safely in her heart. Worried that if she hold on to it tight it might evaporate and never be directed at her again. Love was a fleeting, fragile sentiment she hadn't experienced or believed in for lifetimes.

To find him, to reclaim that pure, glorious connection of love and friendship again...it was exhilarating!

In time they broke apart, breathless and grinning.

"I am never going to let you go again!" He assured her, thumping his forehead against hers.

"I hope not." She smirked, basking in the familiar exchange. His eyes were only inches away from hers. She was mesmerized by them, just as she had been lifetimes ago. Drowning the his dark blue depths, tracing the flecks of gold that highlighted the magnificence of his eyes.

"All I want is to hold you like this forever..." He sighed, pulling away and nuzzling into the golden hair atop her head.

She moaned helplessly, holding him tighter. Overwhelmed by his love.

"I love you, Sere..." He finished, pulling her to his chest.

She remained strangely quiet, after he had spoken her name. Curled up against the taunt, hot flesh. Sobbing quietly against his chest as he held her tight. He had never said those words to her before, even though she had stated to him on several occasions. He had never reciprocated the sentiment verbally. She had to be content in the belief he felt that way about her. But finally hearing directed at her but with her rival's name attached. It was bitter sweet and she could help the painful ache that was throbbing in her chest.

An inner war was waging within herself. Understanding his loneliness, his sense of desolation at believing he would be alone forever. Those feelings had been her only companions for countless lifetimes. She loved this man, her feelings for him were so profound, so all encompassing she could not contain the depths of them. But he would never love her as she truly was. He loved her...his heart, his soul and his future always resided with her!

It infuriated her. She had tried so hard to pull him away from that princess's grasp. She was a Goddess, he was a mortal. Their love was forbidden. It could only end one way, in the absolute destruction of both their kingdoms and themselves. He had fought so hard to keep his people safe, to prevent the destruction he had seen in his vision. If he had known that it was his fault, that his love of the Moon Queen's daughter would seal their fate. Would he have still chosen his heart over his duty?

She kissed his chest, softly and reverently seeking instil in him how much he meant to her. Compromising as she always had, to have him in any way she could get. If she had to masquerade as his princess for the rest of their lives, then so be it! At least in this way, he would be hers.

They sat in the rain, curled against each other for a very long time. Uncaring about the storm or any hidden dangers from lurking soldiers. Lost to each other and the need to feel whole in the arms of the other.

"Lets get out of this rain." Serenity offered as his arms relaxed. Rising to her feet then pulling him back up to his own.

Darien was so happy to have her alive, he never questioned the miracle. As they struggled up the muddy beach, tripping as the sand sucked their feet down and held firm. Laughing and enjoying the struggle, as they helped each other stand or recover from near stumbles. Looking like two drunks, recovering from a night of heavy drinking they made their way off the coast line.

The hellish storm seemed less brutal now that she was alive again, he had a reason to go on living. The future was once again bright and clear, the hopelessness he had been wallowing in before now washed away with the rain.

Soaked to the bone and shivering in the cab of a soft top Austin martin. Darien gently rubbed his hands up and down her arms, seeking to give her some warmth. She trembled in the passenger seat, casting him nervous looks. As he tried to hot wire the car again, desperate to get the heat on and warm her up.

He could handle the cold, but he knew she couldn't. That it was a hardship she found hard to bear.

"Don't worry, Sere. I'll get the car started this time." He assured her, striking the wires forcefully under the dash.

She nodded mutely, holding herself tight and curling her knees up against her chest in the large bucket seat.

The rain continued to drum against the felt roof, an incessant downbeat to Darien's curses as the car refused to start. He glanced up, searching around the modestly crowded parking lot of high end vehicles wondering if he should have picked a different, less fancy car. But this one had been the first one he had seen when they cleared the ridge. They needed shelter, desperate and freezing, he had smashed one of the back windows. Unlocked the passenger side door and ushered his love inside the modest shelter.

He swiped the wires together one more time, praying that the engine would come to life. With a dull roar his wish was granted and with a smug grin her way, he pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the narrow dirt road. That wound downward to the main highway that connected this island to the mainland.

"Raye...ar you dead?" Mina's weak, voice slurred drunkenly through the blinding haze of rain.

Raye groaned ruefully and pulled herself up out of the deluge of foaming surf, that was lapping innocently against the shoreline. Her fingers were instantly sucked into the wet sand. The eerie feeling of mud oozing between her finger's making her cringe. It was the most disgusting feeling she had experienced to date.

Mina flopped over onto her back every part of her ached, her arms and legs felt weighted and a dull burning was ravaging her muscles. Fighting the current to swim towards the shore had been endless.

"Ugh...unfortunately..." Raye moaned, casting her face to the side and finding her blonde love, laying flat on her back beside her. Heaving for breath, soaked and grinning like a fool up at her. It had been an intense struggle swimming against the current to get back to the shore. Every part of her body ached, her muscles were burning while her very bones felt sore and frozen.

Raye couldn't help but smile back, always Mina would be that ray of light that pulled her from her pessimism.

"Were are we?" Lita's voice called from the mist.

"By the rock formations surrounding us, I would judge the south side of the island."Amy announced, crawling out of the surf with a determined scowl on her gentle face.

"Uranus!... Neptune!" Raye screamed into the demi-light of the storm. Valiantly hoping they had made it to shore as well.

"She didn't make it." Haruka's, deep voice penetrated the gloom.

Squinting, Raye could just make out the dusty blonde trudging up the beach away from them. With her proud head now bowed, shoulder's hunched forward looking tired and defeated.

Raye moaned in dread, casting a mournful look over her shoulder out at the churning black water of the bay. Somewhere beneath those murky depths, lay Neptune's remains.

"We got to get out of this storm..." Amy commanded, standing before her with a strength she had never possessed before. The dark brunette's short hair was plastered to her forehead and her once kind blue eyes now cold and determined.

Raye merely nodded, emboldened by her inner strength. Standing on shaking legs she helped Mina to stand and together they followed Amy up the beach. Lita stood before the crashing waves for a moment longer. Her mood matching that of the storm, battering the island.

Her dearest friend was dead, soldiers in black had tried to kill her and her friends and Darien was again lost... even dead? Never in her life had she felt so much anger and despair.

"This isn't over!" she shouted furiously towards the hurricane.

Her rage matching the ferocity of the storm perfectly.

Darien cast Serenity a lingering glance, she looked exhausted and haunted. With her forehead pressed against the cold window, staring blindly at the rain running down the glass. Lost in her thoughts, a drift in her memories, her regrets and worries. He felt speaking would intrude up on her reflections, so remained silent. They had a long drive ahead of them, down narrow highways and rolling grasslands as they left the coast behind.

"Hungry..." He offered, his stomach snarling up at him. He was feeing dizzy and lightheaded and needed to eat. Turning the car into a run down gas station off from the highway. That resembled some paint peeling, rust covered piece of Japan's commercial past of the early eighties. With the box like shape and inclined roof, with a huge, gaudy red and white faded sign perched on the side of the retro building. The black spray painted kanji tags, marring the sides of the building a bold announcement that this was a rough part of the country. Dominated by gangs and perhaps part of the Yakuza's control. He guided the car carefully over the broken cement of the parking lot. The car's low chassis bouncing over the ruts of the poorly maintained pavement beside the rustic pumps.

The gas station that time forgot...

"Starving." Serenity cast him his first real smile in the last hour. As the car eased up to the old dial pumps.

He smiled back and quickly exited the car. Filling the car up with gas, he mildly patted the back pockets of his torn pants finding his wallet's impression gratefully. It had survived the struggles of the night thankfully. Casting his face up towards the warming sky, the black clouds of the storm having fallen away as they travelled. The golden glow of the sun was just cresting the hills beyond the stout, old convenience store. His wandering gaze fell upon a small troupe of drunk middle aged men exiting the outer washrooms at the side of the dilapidated building. Dressed in jeans, button down shirts and dusty ball caps of local farm hands. They stumbled and laughed with each other, making an awkward if lopsided path out towards the interstate. Darien scanned the empty highway, finding no trace of a vehicle, thankful they didn't have wheels. They must have wandered out here from one of the nearby towns. The group made it only as far as the tall grass that lined the gas stations front parking lot, before one of them fell to his knees and began heaving up the contents of his stomach.

Darien sighed, as Serenity opened the window, the glass falling with a soft hum into the door. He admired her sweet, simple profile in the morning sun as she crossed her arms over the door frame and rested her chin in the valley of her arms. Basking in the warmth the sun provided, seeking to shed the last of her chills from the downpour out on the beachfront. Her golden hair shone like a brilliant halo in the rising run, shimmering with the residue of rain water still damp upon the long, silky strands. The warm summer wind cast her hair up in a whimsical dance. Tossing it over her shoulder's and back as if taunting her.

He was grinning ear to ear, never feeling so happy and content. She was alive! They had a real future...finally. He wanted nothing more then to just run off with her and leave all this trauma and bloodshed behind. With a shuddering sigh, he pushed away all the negative thoughts that still haunted him over last night. To much was left undone, unsolved and uncertain. To just move forward unscathed was not possible and he knew it.

After he finished at the ancient gas pump, he tentatively approached the broken down store. The smokey, yellowed clear plastic of the main window glaring disgustingly back at him. Vaguely wondering if anyone was inside or if it was closed this early in the morning. A sickening thought plagued him, of what kind of stale, over due food and drink may lay within...

Darien sighed and pushed through the door. Facing his discomfort and coming disappointment resolutely. A set of bells rang, announcing to the old man standing behind the faded orange plastic counter that he had a visitor. He eyed Darien up, taking in his ragged appearance with cautious steel grey eyes. Darien rolled his eyes and sighed, he looked pretty beat up. The old guy no doubt was favouring some very unsavoury scenario's as to who he was and what kind of misdeeds he had been up to last night. He swallowed his embarrassment and sense of being judged by the old man. Hiding himself away at the back of the store. Finding the inside of the store just as run down and dusty as the outside. With worn, sagging metal shelving, filled with boxes of nameless dry goods, cleaning supplies and even over the counter medicine. Darien quickly retreated to the only products he deemed safe. The junk food aisle.

Returning to the car several minutes later with several bags of chips, a bag of m&m's and two bottles of coke stashed away in a plastic bag. With a long snack cake sticking out of his mouth, finding two men hovering over the passenger side door. Dressed in t-shirts and jeans, each sporting a worn out looking ball cap to tame their dull brown hair. They looked easily like more local farm hands, drunk and obviously far to confident in themselves. Serenity looked furious, gripping the doorframe as she darted her gaze back and forth between them like a cornered animal.

Where the hell were these drunken morons coming from? He took a good long look at the side of the convenience store and noticed the off sale with a bar attached at the back.

"Perfect..." Darien growled under his breath, swallowing his last mouthful of cake as he made quick strides towards the car to defend his girl.

"Com'on baby, you look ready for a good time." The taller more lanky of the two leaned into the door frame, grasping her chin in his strong finger's and forcing her to look up at him. She snarled, but kept her calm her finger's twitching in aggravation. As if she wanted to slap them, but was reigning herself in.

"We got plenty of yen, so why don't you come join us for a drink. There is a nice spot to relax over those hills, we could watch the sunrise and have some fun?" His shorter, stocker companion offered.

Serenity was about to open her mouth and retort that she was not a whore. When Darien sauntered up behind them. Tossing the plastic bags into the back seat, he made himself known. His large hand grasping the taller man upon the shoulder like a steel vice. With a strong hold, he turned the man to face him. He was about the same height, so they were left staring threateningly eye to eye. His dull brown meeting dangerous deep blue.

"The lady is not interested in anything you loser's have to offer." He announced, with a cocky half grin.

The smaller man quickly assessed his threatening posture and took a step back. His companion was not as smart. In an act of false bravado he slapped Darien's hand away.

"You think so?" he smirked, his arms coming up in fists. "Well I think she is a fine looking woman. Who needs to drop your ass for a real man!"

"Yeah...what the hell man? You lose her clothes somewhere after you had your way? It's pretty disrespectful to drive her around in nothing but your shirt?Its no wonder we thought she was just a cheap slut!" His smaller friend added, his voice high pitched and anxious. His friend was the big dog, while he was the little sidekick, barking like a frightened terrier.

Typical, high school machoism. Darien knew this act all to well.

"And what the hell happened to you!" He smaller man added, taking in his appearance with distain.

"Been a long night, gentlemen." Darien sighed, backing away from the confrontation. He was far to old now to get caught up in a drunken brawl.

"You come with us, Kawaii. We will treat you right." The taller man turned back to Serenity, ignoring Darien as if he posed no real threat. Gripping her upper arm and hoisting her up out of her seat.

She squealed in sudden fright, as a fist appeared lightening fast before her face. Slamming the man dead center in the nose.

"Bad move!" Darien shouted, he was on the war path now. Sending his fists as incredible speed into the man's sides

and stomach. Backing him up with the steady blows, as his friend stood slack jawed in drunk amusement a few steps away. Unwilling to get involved as his friend was being beat down by they stranger.

"She is way out of your league!" Darien barrelled a fist into his gut. "The most beautiful, intelligent, talented woman I have ever known!" He growled, sending a powerful right hook at the man's temple. Making him stumble drunkenly backwards. "The most selfless, sweet and caring girl. I have ever had the honour to have in my life!" He ducked under the man's wild swing, connecting his fist onto his side mercilessly. "I will never be able to repay her for all she has done for me! I have no idea why she loves me so much! But I will spend the rest of my life making sure she knows how much she means to me. I live only for her!" He professed, despair and rage misting his eyes. "I will never let anyone disrespect or hurt her ever again! I will always protect her, love her and keep her close from now on!" He shouted his promises in defiance, snarling like a rabid animal. Barely constraining his Genesis as he pummelled the man into submission.

Darien pinned the man by the throat and pummelled his ribs. Relentless and unrestrained. His building rage overwhelming his self control. The man grunted with each impact, struggling to break free, as Darien brutalized his abdomen with his fists.

"Get off me you Fucker!" He snarled, using his bulk to wrench Darien to the side. The two men rolled in the dirt, each vying for dominance. The man lurched to his feet first then tackled Darien back into the old gas pump in front of the car.

Darien grunted as his side slammed into the cold, rusted metal. He set his jaw and lunged at his adversary, his eyes full of menace. Crouching and dodging the man's inelegant swings with a boxer's grace.

Serenity knelt on her seat, her heart slamming hard against her chest. Tears of gratitude in her eyes, as her love for him swelled beyond her ability to contain. He was amazing as he fought for her honour. His devotion to her had no bounds, never had she witness such selflessness from him. Because she had never mattered until she had become Serenity.

She was totally overwhelmed by it all, clutching her fists against her heart. Panting and shivering as she held back her intense feelings of attraction and blissful tears.

The taller man couldn't block, he could barely stand when Darien was through. A trained boxer, with years of ring experience. Moving the young man about the parking lot with his blows, leading him further away from the car. Darien never made a sound when the man connected a lucky hit to his jaw. A quiet intensity to his fury that was scary. His counters were methodical and controlled, doing serious damage to the other man. Soon leaving him crumpled and whimpering in crippling pain at the cement embankment before the stores front door. Darien then turned on his heel, shooting the man's little friend a deadly glare. For his part he raised his hands in defeat and scrambled to his friends side.

Without pretence, Darien slid into the driver's seat. Dug the plastic bag out of the back seat and tossed Serenity the opened cake wrapper. Offering her the last snack cake, knowing she enjoyed the sweet convection.

"Sorry about that." He sighed, reaching below the wheel to spark the engine to life. His eyes still blazing with restrained rage. A chilling reflection of losing her last night still shadowing his gaze.

She leaned in quickly and gave him a quick kiss upon his cheek to show her gratitude. He smiled warmly at her sudden affection.

"Arigatio...Darien." She sighed, blushing profusely as she settled back in her seat and buckled up.

She giggling to herself, having enjoyed watching him come to her aid immensely. Defending both her dignity and body. He was awe inspiring like a story book prince, sweeping in to save the frail damsel. His heroism had left her watching with baited breath. As he beat the crap out of that guy in her defence. He was quite the white knight, the love she felt for him was overflowing her ability to contain. It was amazing how cherished she was to him. She could sense how he lived and breathed only for her.

The satisfaction of reclaiming his love, that was rightly hers, swelled in her breast. With her rival's demise she had nothing standing in her way. She had nothing standing in the way of her dreams now. She eagerly devoured her snack cake, enjoying the extra sweet filling. It was all so perfect, she couldn't help the beaming smile that dominated her face. Darien grinned back happily, seeing the forlorn gloom leave her eyes for a moment. Replaced with a gleeful shimmer to her eyes and blushing cheeks.

"I will always take care of my girl." he nodded, giving her leg a squeeze just above the knee. Tearing out of the gas station and back onto the highway. Enjoying the speed and sharp maneuverings of the sports car.

He had a red mustang back home in Las Vegas, now he was contemplating having it shipped over to explore Japan more extensively. It seemed all the chaos was over for now, perhaps they would have some time together with out issues. They could pick up were they left off years ago and finally find some peace and happiness.

Serenity's breath hitched as he squeezed her leg and she instantly stiffened. He noticed how uncomfortable she was at his affection and quickly withdrew his hand, casting her an odd look.

"Gomen...it's been a crazy night and I have a lot to deal with right now." She smiled back grimly, turning back to the window. Absently tearing open a bag of chips and diving in. Chastising herself over her weird behaviour. It had just been so very, very long since he had shown her any sort of kindness. She wasn't used to it and it made her nervous and uneasy. She needed to relax, enjoy the wonderful future she could finally claim for herself. She had worked far to hard for far to long to botch it all up now.

Darien sighed, things were awkward and he didn't know how to fix it. He wanted to ask about why her crystal was missing. But that might be the problem she was unwilling to share with him right now. So he kept silent, focusing on getting them back to his condo as quickly as possible. Perhaps she would open up once she felt safe.

The highway turned back towards the coast as they traveled north, the day arrived in a hot brilliance as they past into the small city of Yokohama. The sky was a clear blue with not even a trace of clouds, it was as if the storm of the early hours had faded away into just a memory. Soon surrounded by the glass and steel tower's of another foreign city, they made their way deeper into the suburban landscape.

"Oh...Darien. Look! An open flea market, lets go. " Serenity pointed out her window, with an eager smile and a hopeful stare. At the cobble stone alley lined with homemade stalls and vendor booths just off from the street they were traveling down. Their Kanji banner's snapping playfully in the wind, carts and stalls overflowing with fresh produce and homemade crafts.

Darien was reluctant to leave the car, he had gotten an odd look from the gas attendant earlier. The harassment they both received from those drunk men only fortified how much they stood out. Only wearing a pair of torn dress pants he looked like a brawling victim. In some respects though it was true. While she was wearing only his dress shirt and nothing else. He wasn't looking forward to the nervous stares from the onlooker's at the Market.

Serenity picked up on his unease, as he slowly did another pass down the street feigning looking for a perfect parking spot.

"We are not exactly dressed properly for shopping ?" he arched an eyebrow, meaningfully at her sexy state of damp undress.

She sighed and slumped against her back seat, nodding. Her excitement fading along with her good mood. She kept her eyes averted towards the window, looking almost like she was pouting.

It was strange, how strongly she was feeling disappointed right now. Why was she so hung up on shopping at some obscure farmer's market? She never cared about such trivial things, or if some one wanted to spend time with her. She never used to be so overly emotional. Was this a side effect of absorbing Serenity, or because she finally felt secure with him? That she could show him how she felt and not have to worry about being rejected or cast aside. That she was finally worth being cared about.

"Well, first we need to find some clothes. We both look like we just survived a war." He smirked.

"True." She smiled and nodded, blessing him with a small giggle as she grew hopeful again.

They managed to find a Seiyu Commercial SuperMarket a block away. Darien had to laugh at how much the store resembled the Wal-Marts back home. A huge box store filled with bright florescent lights, packed with food, clothes and pharmacy needs. The fact that the staff and fellow customer's barely even looked their way, made him laugh even more. Only in this kind of outrageous consumer environment, would they blend in...they must see all kinds of crazies in here.

"I am going to go grab a shirt and some jeans, I will meet you in the woman's section?" He offered, giving her arms a tender stroke up and down.

"No problem, see you soon." She gave him a small smile before trotting off bare foot down the wide tile corridor.

Darien sighed and brushed a hand through his hair, an odd prickling that something was different with her nagging at the back of his mind. As he watched her head off. Completely uncaring at her state of undress, easily able to ignore any spectator's that might glance her way. A haughty tilt to her chin as she strode purposefully out of view, carrying herself with a superiority she never possessed before. It was a weird feeling deep in his gut that made him squint his eyes and try valiantly to double check if it was truly his Sere. As she jogged away, her tiny feet slapping against the floor as she disappeared into the racks of clothes a meter or so off.

With a long sigh, he retreated to his own clothing section questioning reality. She was aloof, his affections once so easily reciprocated. Were received with a stiff, nervous air. Reasoning away how odd he found her. That she was dealing with almost dieing last night and that would make anyone unsettled, act a little out of character.

He found a black t-shirt, boot cut wrangler jeans and pair of dark leather steel toes boots. Tracking her down at the central dressing room's several minutes later.

"How are things in there Sere?" He called, leaning casually against the front counter for the dressing area attendant.

"Uhm...good I guess. I had a hard time finding anything I liked." She huffed with disappointment.

"Really?" Darien was shocked, the Sere he knew wasn't fussy about clothes. She was far to easy going and casual. She would be fine wearing a paper bag if that was all she had. She wasn't picky or claimed to be any sort of fashionista like Raye.

A moment later she appeared in a black suede sheath dress. It clung to her like a second skin, wrapping tight around her hourglass hips. The neckline receded in a low sexy manner between her breasts. Showing off just a little skin in the valley between her bosom, the two pieces of fabric linked with a dainty gold hoop. She had a pair of tan cross strapped sandals and a huge white sunhat. Looking sultry and sexy, she sauntered towards him with an arrogance in her stride that startled him.

"What do you think?" She questioned with a wide grin.

"Wow..." He had to admit, she was looking good. Far more put together then normal, but he had to admit he liked the more mature, sexually charged appearance.

"Great!" She hopped giddily, trotting eagerly over to him and threading an arm with his. He paid for the garments at the font till and they wore them out.

The market was a tranquil, brightly coloured avenue. The vendors just setting up for the morning, so there were not many people perusing the carts. Serenity had quickly taken the lead, pulling on him as she surveyed the farm grown local food.

"This is just like a date!" She exclaimed happily.

"Well, how about we say this one is our first then?" He added.

She spun from a cart of vegetables to scowl up at him.

"We haven't had a real date yet?" She shook her head sadly. She knew Serenity had an easy going, rather submissive personality. But this was just pathetic! He hadn't ever bothered to put in any effort to take her out...not even once? In all the time they had dated back in the states, or in the time they had spent together here in Japan? She slowly bowed her head and shook it ruefully. Honestly. Her prince was always kinda self absorbed it wasn't a stretch to think he had placed his own needs and desires above her's. Not intentionally of course, he was just to driven to think to far beyond himself.

"Well, we had sorta dates right?" He sighed, casting her a weak guilty smile. As she gave him a smirk of disapproval.

"Fine, first date then." she agreed. Searching for something particular amid the crates of sweet potato's.

"So what are you looking for?" He asked, flexing his hand. His palm feeling clammy from holding her hand continually since leaving the box store earlier.

She had become uncommonly clingy, seeking any and every opportunity to brush against him or hold his hand, always smiling coyly from his shoulder. She was showing a very intense sense of possession of him. Wanting to make sure every other female at this market knew whom he belonged to.

Flouncing and skipping in unrestrained excitement as they meandered slowly through the market. She took her time at every stall that took her interest. Knowing with full confidence that he would wait patiently for her.

"I am going to cook you the most wonderful breakfast you have ever tasted." She stated, dragging him off to a fruit vendor next door. "But I will need fresh ingredients to do it." She was lightly massaging a peach, sniffing each one lightly. Seeking the most fresh.

"You can cook now?" He chuckled, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes!" She shot back in a huff, her lip protruding in such a cute pout.

"I guess you were just a kid the last time you cooked for me. So you could have improved over the years." he nodded, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"And I have." She stated, finally pulling her hand free to bag up a few pieces of fruit. Serenity might have been a total disaster in the kitchen, but she hadn't been as pampered growing up. She had learned to fend for herself at a young age and took pride in the fact that because of her hardships. Her talents were quite broad and versatile. She could cook rather well and that was a good quality for a future wife.

"You have to wake up very early to catch these farmer's markets, only the freshest ingredients make memorable meals." She advised with a high and mighty attitude. As if she truly knew what she was talking about.

"I guess, since your not a morning person you rarely manage to get to them." He remarked.

Her eyes narrowed, his honesty at Serenity's lazy attitude burning her own personal pride. She took a deep breath, calming her anger. She would be a much improved version of that spoiled princess. Darien would want for nothing from now on. With Serenity's body and her soul, she would become the perfect woman for him.

"I guess..." She remarked with a shrug, heading off towards another vegetable cart across the alley. Grinding her teeth, refusing to be baited. Knowing he wasn't trying to be mean, just being honest about Serenity's faults in this lifetime. But her blood was simmering none the less. That woman infuriated her even after death.

Darien shoved his hands deep into his pockets, trudging after her. Completely oblivious to her hurt feelings. She quickly forgave his slight, as they slowly made their way from one end of the long avenue of stalls and back to the street. Enjoying each others company and friendly banter, becoming so carefree and happy in their own little personal bubble. She was finally relaxing, becoming more goofy and childish as she sought to make him laugh. Wanting to wash away the last of the shadows he held in his eyes. Using the food as props to be silly, placing two lemons up to her eyes and flicking her tongue out at him as if she was a lizard. Only to be surprised as he leaned down and captured her tongue in a scorching kiss. She whimpered in longing, as he backed her up to the side of the stall unable to restrain his desire for her. She had been taunting him with innocent sexual innuendo's all the way along the market. Driving his lust and pushing his resistance to deny her at every turn. Brushing up against him, as she shopped, licking her lips or slyly stroking cucumber's or bananas just in the periphery of his sight. He had finally broke and sought to give the little vixen a bit of what she craved.

Pushing her up against the brick wall that backed the vendor's stall, she instinctively dropped her cloth bag of grocery's. Sweeping her finger's into his hair and fisting two handfuls. Her long, slender legs entwining around his powerful hips. Her skirt sliding up, bunching around her own waist as she held him tight against her core. Her fingers diving into his hair, raking through his thick strands with a rising hunger.

As he softly devoured her mouth with his own, caging her against the rough brick wall. His kisses had started tender, sweet and teasing. His tongue stroking across her lower lip, licking into her mouth coaxing her to open more fully. Fast and shallow lashes of his tongue stirred inside the heat of her mouth. Igniting and simmering her desire for him, to a blistering inferno. No other man could feed her passion to such wanton levels. His words of devotion, of love and respect echoed in her mind. She wanted only to please him, to show him how much hearing those words of praise had meant to her. Her heart was his, her body and her soul now offered freely to him alone.

Serenity moaned and melted against him, as he sucked upon her tongue. The kisses growing wetter and hotter as they continued. He gripped her rear and pressed her more firmly against the steel length of his erection. Showing her how much he wanted to pleasure her.

Their kisses growing more feverish, more demanding. As if they were making love with only their mouths, tongue and teeth, biting and lashing against each other. Soft sounds of pleasure passing between as they forgot how public they were. Serenity was panting against his mouth, yearning for him like never before. The power and passion he held for her, the hunger and unyielding love drowning her.

His tongue was plunging into her mouth, over and over again. His body growing hot and sweaty under her palms, as she grasped his bare arms at the crook of his elbow. Seeking to ground herself lest she be totally swept away by her growing lust for him. His quickening breathes into her mouth mingling with her own. It was all to much and she was soon lost to the currents her desires.

Leaving her mind spinning and her body shivering near climax. Her senses quickly overloading, leaving her feeling drunk and uneasy. Never in her life had she ever felt so connected to another human being. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time, she never wanted this experience to end.

Angling her head to receive his kisses more effortlessly she ground herself against him. Seeking that precious friction that would send her over the edge.

She wanted him so much!

Then it was over, so suddenly and so violently she was left grieved by it. He pushed away from her as if she was on fire, gently settling her back onto her feet. Blinking and uncertain she stared up at him, as he backed away. Looking humiliated and confused, as he brushed a hand through his wild love tousled hair.

"Gomen...Sere. That was a very disrespectful to you." His face was on fire as he kept his eyes averted to the concrete. It was a flimsy excuse, but the sudden jolt of panic that had swept through him could not be denied.

She felt a fronted and oddly rejected by his sudden turn around. It was as if he just thrown a bucket of ice cold water over them both. Dousing the flames of their desire effortlessly. Swallowing a hard lump in her throat she adjusted her skirts back into place, blinking away hurt tears. She wallowed in her fears of being inadequate for only a moment. Then promptly recovered her composure and her confidence. Reasoning away his brutal retreat as nothing more then getting cold feet over how intense that moment was and wanting to salvage what was left of their dignity. Since they had made quite a spectacle of themselves.

"I didn't mind...because it was you." She smiled sweetly, taking his hand in hers and drawing him back into the building crowds of the market.

As they reached the end of the market, an artists booth caught her attention. She meekly dragged him towards the portable grey plastic table, strewn with various paintings. He perused the oil on canvas paintings of landscapes and portraits with mild interest. Finding his girls gaze riveted to a pair of simple black and white paintings at the end of the table.

Moving over to brush his shoulder against her's, he found her staring yearningly at the twisting images of the yin-yang symbols. They were a matching pair, painted in a very liquid painterly fashion. Placed side by side. Looking as if they were under water, melting away into each other. Yet the duality of the black and white canvases were separated crisply on their own frames. They looked as if they were dissolving away, the brutality of being torn apart destroying each symbol. As if unable to stand being apart for eternity, they each sought oblivion instead.

She was laughing softly, bitterly at the images that so obviously fit together but were forced asunder by the physical reality of being on different frames...different worlds.

"Light and dark...male and female...life and death..." She whispered. "That is the most obvious understanding of the Yin and Yang symbols. " She commented casting him a sideways glance.

He stood quietly, taking in her sweeping emotions of loss and angst as she stared down at them.

"They are seen as opposing forces but in reality they are complimentary in nature. One can not exist with out the other." She turned to stare meaningfully up at him, seeking for him to understand the turmoil that lived inside her always. "Love and hate...good and evil. They can converge so easily inside ones soul, sway ones heart in only a moment of joy or grief. Give someone a reason to live or a reason to die...a reason to save or a reason to kill." She swallowed hard, her crystal blue eyes fierce and intense taking his breath as she held his hands firmly in her own. Her eyes searching his for an understanding, a forgiveness for what she had done to him lifetimes ago.

"I love you, Darien..." She whispered, her gaze was clouded. Dwelling morosely upon her past. "I will fight for us, I will do what ever is needed to keep you at my side forever."

Darien swallowed hard, never having heard her commitment to him so profound. It was startling how fiercely she was making that promise. He merely nodded, then quickly bought the paintings spending the last of his money.

Tiger crouched grim faced and scowling before the decomposed remains of a man. A blackened, mummified corpse, that was Beryl's calling card. Hidden in the tall grass at the edge of the beach, his black armour discarded round him. Dressed only in a pair of black dress pants, his legs twisted, arms out stretched in defence, finger's twisted into his final pose of death. His dress shirt was missing...Tiger surmised? But why would Beryl kill an Agent for his shirt?

That confused him to no end, until her scent caught on the salty wind of the bay again. He thrust his head up out of the tall grass. Scanning the wayward stretch of beach that sprawled lonely and abandoned in the faint light of the fading storm. He saw her pale silhouette wandering blindly through the rain. The white dress shirt she wore standing out like a glowing flag in the gloom. Her gold hair whipping around her fragile frame, as she stood before the prone body of a dead young woman. She looked like a ghostly spectre, standing over the body like a heavenly angel of death sent to reclaim the woman's soul.

"Serenity!" he bellowed to be heard over the howling wind. Sprinting into the rain towards her, his heart bursting with relief to find her alive.

As he neared he found her staring blindly out over the shore line, clutching a golden crystal to her breast. Her eyes looked dead, lost in terrible memories of a long lost life. A golden light flickering between her eyes, struggling to ignite.

He glanced down finding Jun's corpse, dead eyes staring in startled surprise up at the sky. Her long dark green hair soaked and plastered over her young face. Her once strong and vital body a broken husk upon the sand.

She was just a child...her future had been taken from her by another's hand. The unjust brutality of it, burned in Tiger's gut. He hated this war and the monsters who fought in it. Unable not to cast blame and loathing his own way as well. He was no saint and had done his own share of despicable acts under Tomoe's command. Who was he to judge the murderer of this young girl. Her pointless slaughter was just one of many that bloodied all their hands. This war was insane, they were all Genesis soldier's they should not be forced to fight against each other. His hatred for Beryl held no bounds in that moment. He knew she was calling the shots now that Tomoe was dead. She was to blame, for Jun's murder, as much as all the other lives she had taken.

A vile, demon who needed to be purged from this earth!

Tiger snarled, baring his savage teeth down at the body so filled with rage he could barely hold back his violence.

"They're all dead..." Serenity's ghostly voice echoed out to him, drawing him back from his brooding rage.

He slowly rose his eyes up, finding her walking off as if in a trance.

He moved to her side tentatively sensing she was reliving something very traumatic. Seeing Jun's body must have triggered this regression. Seeking to understand what was going on he quietly started asking her questions.

"Who are dead?" He asked, drawing his hands back from touching her. Worried it might jar her to viciously back to reality.

Damaging her psyche beyond repair.

"My kingdom..." She whispered, tears steaming down her face.

Tiger shook his head, the answer so abstract he was shocked by it.

"uhm...ok..." he muttered, following her like a trained dog down the shoreline as she bleakly surveyed the imaginary dead scattered at her feet.

"Who killed them?" he asked eventually, as she wasn't drawing back to reality.

"I did..." She whispered in a broken hush, before falling unconscious. To overcome by the memories her only recourse for peace was to fall asleep. Tiger lunged for her as she crumpled, holding her against his bare chest as she continued to weep in her tortured slumber. Unable to escape from the massacre that lay before her thousands of life times before.

Her finger's relaxed upon the golden bead in her hand, as her exhaustion claimed her. A glimmering golden crystal tumbled to the wet sand beside them. Tiger stared down at it in astonishment, wondering if the Silver Crystal she had before had changed into that new jewel?

As the crystal left her grasp she groaned in misery. Blinking away both tears and rain drops from her long, elegant lashes, coming back to reality sluggishly.

He stared down at her in bewildered relief, as her wide innocent blue eyes refocused on him.

"Tiger..." She muttered hoarsely.

He smiled broadly, she finally looked back to normal. Water logged and confused but no doubt back to her true self.

"You bet, Serenity. I will always be here." He promised, clasping her hand tight to his chest as he cradled her in his lap. "I am so glad your alive."

"I'm glad your alive too..." Her smile widened with relief then faltered as she cut her eyes towards the dagger hilt embedded into his neck.

"Lets get the hell out of here!" He stated, reaching over and picking up the tiny golden bead and stuffing it into his jeans pocket. If it proved to be something dangerous, he would make sure she never saw it again. Then he stood up on well muscled legs, built for agility and speed. With her still cradled in his arms protectively. Trudging off up the beach, intent on getting them as far away from this graveyard as possible.

"What happened Tiger..." Her voice was meek, the anguish and confusion lacing her broken tone.

"I could ask you the very same thing." he cocked his head towards her with a lopsided half smile.

She merely nodded in understanding, they both had stories to tell.

Tiger was at the wheel of a black BMW town car, the interior gleamed with dark leather and mahogany. Smelling faintly of cigar smoke and whiskey. The over the top luxury went unnoticed by both occupants. Who had stolen the car from the parking lot and where now racing down back roads further inland toward Tokyo.

Serenity had noted the rubble of the Aquarium when they had reached the side lot of abandoned cars. Staring at it with mute grief, haunted by far to many what if's. Unable to process it all, she had stood silently, drawing inward to protect herself lest she crumble right then and there under the weight of her anguish. Tiger had approached her cautiously, slowly drawing her up against him. She looked ready to shatter to pieces right then and there. She shivered against him, rigid and straining to contain her misery yet again. He had tried to give her some kind of hope, explaining that he had saved Darien. Only to lose him on the beach, that he had tracked his scent back to the parking lot. It went dead at the parking stalls, so he figured he had taken a car and drove off. Her girlfriends he was afraid he knew nothing, they could be as alive as they could be dead. He couldn't offer her much hope concerning them, but he wasn't one to spout meaningless platitudes either. He dealt with the harsh realities of what was, with a stern, ascorbic attitude. That Serenity endured gracefully, she may have lost all her friends in one night, there was only Darien left.

The need to get back to his side, pulling her like a powerful gravitational force. They had surmised he most likely headed back to his condo in Tokyo, so broken over losing her he was seeking solitude. So that was where they were headed first, she wanted to reconnect with him desperately. To show him her love and forge a new future together. Then the true mission would begin, to hunt down Beryl and kill her for good this time. She needed to get her crystal back, she hoped that Darien managed to save it from Beryl. If not it would only make the coming battle all the more difficult. But she promised that no matter what, she would prevail, she would not allow that psychotic zealot to rule this world.

Now she was staring mournfully out of the passenger side window, dwelling on her own personal failures. Gliding her fingers sadly over the naked crook of her neck were the silver crystal once lay.

Tiger cast her a sympathetic grimace, gripping the wheel more tightly.

"I had managed to get Darien out of the back cells, just before the place collapsed." Tiger shrugged.

"But the girls...Darien's friends...my friends..." Her voice wavered, her bottom lip trembling as her face crumpled into quiet sobs.

"As I remember it, they went into that death trap with their eyes wide open!" Tiger shot back, angry that she was so broken over their willing sacrifice. They had wanted to save Darien, to help her in anyway they could. Crying and bemoaning their deaths would accomplish nothing but suffering and it dishonoured their memory.

"That doesn't mean I am just going to forget them and move on like they never existed!" She snapped back, unable to endure his callousness any longer. Tears streaming down her face, as she glared in irritation up at him

"I never expected you too!" he shouted back. "But you have no time to wallow in your grief right now!"

Serenity sucked in a cold breath, blinking away her tears and drying her eyes with the cuff of Darien's dress shirt. His masculine scent surrounded her for a moment, soothing her soul like nothing else could. She sighed and let the loose sleeve linger over her nose, taking in his smell like a strengthening tonic.

"Beryl is out there! I have no idea what her plan is, your Silver Crystal is missing! We are on a really deadly timeline here to stop what ever insanity she is cooking up!" He growled at her.

Serenity sniffed and nodded. Then she lightly touched her fingertips to the hilt of the dagger embedded into his neck. Moaning in pain for him, knowing how much getting stabbed hurt. Having endured a similar wound to her thigh, a couple years back during the warehouse raid. In which her fellow Soldier's had euthanized another Onii Arena. Tiger was a warrior, a savage predator who never quit fighting until he was unconscious or dead. If it wasn't for him she would have never made it to Darien's side in time to save him. She owed that feral, beast man so much.

"We need to get you to a hospital." She whispered.

Tiger merely nodded, "Later, I'll drop you off at Darien's then go get this taken care of."

Her fingers glided from the knife to touch the ends of his wild red hair. He shivered under her caress, clearing his throat nervously and keeping his eyes focused on the road.

"I did this with my crystal..." she stated breathlessly.

"You cleansed away all the impurities of my Genesis state." He nodded, "It feels great to be human again." He cast her a grateful smirk. "Well as human as I can be." He chuckled, ruefully.

She smiled back warmly, amazed that she had such power.

"I wish I still had my crystal power's. " She trailed her finger's back to the hilt of the dagger, wanting desperately to pull it out and heal him.

"Don't worry about it." Tiger started, his teeth snapping together in pain.

As her fingertips started to glow a gentle gold, a healing light flaring from her hand.

Tiger cringed in pain as the golden crystal in his pocket turning into a molten stone, burning his thigh like a hot coal.

Serenity gasped as the brilliant light faded away, the dagger now vaporized and new pink skin now covered the wound.

He cast her a surprised look, rubbing a hand over his healed skin thankfully. His neck tingled and a strange vibrant energy was now coursing through his body.

"Or you could just do that..." He muttered with a laugh.

"Wow...that's new?" She gasped.

"You can just add that healing power to the rest of the amazing talents you have." Tiger waggled his eyebrows mischievously at her.

She slapped him in the arm. "Don't flirt with me...it's weird." She muttered.

Tiger laughed more loudly. "Don't flatter yourself sweetheart, you are so not my type." He defended quickly, masking that he was slightly hurt by her rebuttal of his affections.

"Well the nearest Zoo to appease your taste in females is in Kyoto." She shot back.

"Har, Har, Har!" He mocked, bumping her shoulder with his own.

Her pleasant feelings evaporated quickly. Her face turning to grim stone.

"We need to find Beryl. She has all the answer's. I have got to get my crystal back before everything turns to shit!" She sighed, slumping back into the elegant leather seat with her arms crossed. She had a lot more to do, before she could take a good long rest.

Tiger merely nodded, a determined fire smouldering in his eyes.

Serenity caught herself staring at him off and on during the long ride back. After knowing him only as a beast man for years, seeing him as the striking human male he had once been was startling. His hazel eyes were fierce, keenly aware of every inch of the road before him. The only feature that remained almost cat like in appearance. His face was strong, as if chiseled from granite. With high cheekbones and a strong tapered jaw that maintained only a hint of feline qualities. His lips were drawn in a grim line, thin and sensually curved. He looked exotic and powerful, with a main of red hair that hung wild and untamed over sleek, taunt shoulder's. The prowess in his bare chest as it expanded with breath was sensually alarming, her eyes receding down in erotic curiosity to the packs of tight muscles bunching down his stomach. He was built so much like Darien, with a compact, vital body that was as graceful as it was dangerous. His arms coiled tight to the steering wheel, toned and well muscled like a cats. Large hands fisted over the leather wheel, as he kept a focused gaze on the dawn highway.

Serenity shook her head, clearing away the sudden and scary attraction she was having towards this man. Who by all intents and purposes had wanted to her dead only a few hours before.

Their was no man for her but Darien, Tiger's undieing loyalty and commitment to staying by her side was confusing her heart. She needed to clear her head, take a deep breath. The last few hours were a blur of overwhelming sensations and burdening memories of a lost lifetime. She had to get her head on straight again before confronting Beryl or the crazy, power obsessed woman would take advantage of her again. Beryl was far to cunning to just fall into her hands easily, she needed a solid plan to track her down and pin her the wall...perminately.

Needing answer all of Tiger's burdening questions as to what happened to her. She shared with him how Daiki had offered his own life force to resurrect her and that she now must lay claim to his healing Genesis. Tiger merely nodded, taking in the tale of love and sacrifice with an awed gratitude. He would have never believed the self centered tycoon was capable of such selfless feats. After the tale was told, she fell into a grim silence again. Tiger graciously gave her, her solitude to navigate through the turmoil he new was churning in her soul.

Glancing over to Serenity from time to time, noticing bleakly how the light in her eyes would fade. Drawing inward towards her endless past, dwelling upon a well of memories that seemed to drown her. It was like she was having a hard time staying in the present, her mind over come by to many harsh remembrances.

He wanted to ask her about the past life trance she had been in when he found her, but was to scared in many ways to find out. He liked to live in the now and not dwell on spiritual matters like god or reincarnation. He felt he had enough to deal with on a daily basis as a beast man, he didn't need to dwell on the fact that he might be being punished karmicly as well.

He had always felt that there was more depth to her, then the perky, upbeat facade she showed everyone else. A deep sadness that hid in the farthest reaches of her soul. She seemed to see right through others, straight through to their heart of hearts. She knew so much more about life's struggle then what she showed to others. Having a wisdom and understanding that encompassed lifetimes. He had been slowly getting to know her as a person and not prey, he wanted to know everything now. He wanted to be the one person she could depend on, the one she turned to for support. He felt she might need him as much as he needed her right now.

She just looked so lost and forlorn, he wanted to keep her safe and chase away all the shadows he now saw forming behind her haunted eyes.

Darien had ditched the stolen Austin Martin as soon as they reached the district of Minato-ku. Jumping on the first transit bus back into Azabu. Back tracking to the paid parking lot he had his Harley Davidson stashed in. Serenity admired the jet black machine, as if she had never seen it before. Her eyes roving over it's metal body with very obvious arousal. With it's strong, bold lines and massive exhaust pipes. The wide low rider seat and sweeping handle bars, gave the bike a rebel with out a cause sort of feel that sent the thrill through her. Darien might be a White Knight, but he could also be a real bad ass if needs be.

"Nice bike!" She grinned, sweeping her fingertips down the leather seat. Before she stashed the cloth bag of food into a saddle bag. Then with a sly look over her shoulder she slowly, seductively mounted the back of the bike. Slinking over the width of the seat, thrusting her rear into the air in a lazy harlot fashion. Noticing with glee how Darien's mouth dropped open and the rising desire for her was burning in his blue eyes. She giggled knowingly, how easily his lust for her could be manipulated. He loved her so much, he needed to feel her so badly all reason evaporated from his mind, when she tempted him.

"Sere...Oh, god...you are driving me nuts!" he breathed, coming up behind her and gripping her hips with his strong hands. Holding her in place, as he leaned over her arching back, grinding his erection meaningfully into her ass. She moaned in approval, pushing herself up against him. Rubbing her sex with yearning along his length. She had been like a blonde bombshell since the market, silently seducing him with small touches and meaningful looks all the way back to Tokyo.

"I want you...Darien...right here..." She commanded, staring pleadingly up at him from over her shoulder. Her long golden hair cascading over her shoulder blades, in a sexy mess. The skirt of her black sheath dress once again bunching up around her waist. Giving him full access to the lace thong she had picked out back at the store. Her perfect butt on display, wiggling for him to take her right then and there. She was acting so sexy, so bold and sensual he was having a very difficult time not giving her exactly what she wanted. He was primed and ready, his higher thoughts already sinking into primal, carnal desire. As he envisioned mounting her from behind, pulling that thong aside and thrusting himself deeply into her. Taking her in long, powerful strokes right here on his bike.

Darien stared in aroused amazement at the bold erotica of having sex with her, right here on his bike in a very public, if vacant out of the way parking lot. Glancing nervously over his shoulder at the ten foot high chain link fence that lined the cement lot. Taking in the empty sidewalk and dark windows of the nearby stores, mulling over their chances of making love here without repercussions. It was still very early in the morning, the parking lot itself was nearly empty. Only a few other cars were parked near the front of the lot. Blocking his bike partway from view from the sidewalk.

"Darien...what's wrong?" her voice sounded wounded and small. As he remained rooted a few metres away, reluctant to have sex with her.

"Sere...you are so beautiful...and god so willing right now." He chuckled, mentally kicking his own ass for hurting her feelings by being so uncommitted. But if he allowed her to get carried away here in public and they were caught. She would be so humiliated he would never forgive himself for being such a horn dog. He lightly skimmed a finger down her spine, soothing her worries, leaning over her again to bite her earlobe.

"I want you...I need you...I can't live without you." Needing to reassure her that he found her quite appealing, that this wasn't a brush off. " But having sex here would be a mistake. Just hang on a few more minutes, I will get us home and then you will be all mine." He promised, kissing her temple as she pouted in disappointment. Settling back on her butt in the higher passenger seat, as he mounted the bike before her.

As he drove off, heading out into the converging traffic of the Commercial District of Greater Azabu. Serenity sighed heavily against his back, wrapping her arm possessively around his middle and pressing herself up tight against him. Darien smiled wanly that strange feeling of her contact being odd, needling him again at the very back of his brain. A sharp if easily brushed aside pain, like the prick of a roses thorn. He kept his focus on weaving them safely through traffic, figuring all his restless emotions would be sorted out with a few days rest. Hidden away from the world with his true love in his condo, enjoying some much needed time together. Then everything would feel right between them again, relaxed and carefree as it had been when they were kids. They just needed some time to really get to know each other again with out all this craziness barging in to mess up their reunion.

When they got back to the condo complex, Darien parked his bike in the underground parkade. Offering Serenity his hand and helping her with a gentleman's grace from the bike. She curled her hand possessively around his, unwilling to let go as she dug out her grocery bag. Giving him a warm inviting smile as they walked down the cool shade of the garage towards the silver elevator at the far end.

Darien was busy mulling over why he felt so strange kissing his true love. It made no sense at all, trying in vain to reason away his unsettled feelings. It just made no sense at all? In the end he figured the stress of last night was just weighing on him. He felt off and it was making her feel nervous. He cast her a warm smile, as she leaned into him, inclining her head and smiling weakly up at him.

She looked confused and awkward, a desperation in her eyes she had never held before. Darien quickly cleared his throat, feeling horrible for making her feel so unwanted. He needed to fix this!

Serenity sighed, her seduction was failing miserably. Darien was finding one excuse after another to deny her any kind of true physical connection with him. Her chest ached with a sharp, wretched pain at his continued rejections, making her feel ugly or cheap for how disgraceful and desperate she had been acting. How willfully she had attempted again and again to seduce him. She was so in love with him by this point she could barely think straight. Obsessing over getting him beneath her, to feel him deep inside filling her and making her his now and forever. It was making her reckless and desperate. She didn't like feeling this way, so out of control with desire. Yet she couldn't help it either. She had become a slave to her obsession yet again.

He glanced over to her as they entered the elevator. A slow, smile creeping over his gorgeous lips. She felt weak and powerless under his passionate gaze, the depth of love she saw stopped her heart and made her yearn for him more. Then his smile faded back into a frown and the warmth she had felt drained away to the frozen glacier of self doubt. She may never be what he truly wanted, just a fake shell of the woman he thought she was. She needed to prove to him that she could be his everything, meet all his demands with a passion unmatched by the true Serenity. She could compromise. She would try harder to be that woman, the perfect, sweet angel that he fell in love with. The reason he was acting aloof now was because she had allowed to much of her true self to show. She needed to bury that hopeless, lovesick woman down deep, lock her away and become wholly Serenity. That was who he loved, that was who she needed to be...to be loved. Nothing else mattered but pleasing him, possessing him heart and soul. To out do that horrible, self centered princess who had striped her of all hope. Serenity had spent lifetimes tearing him away from her. Her rebirths had been torture, one cruel joke after another. Destined only to be hurt, shunned and rejected. It was her fault she had become this vile monster.

Her fault!

She had tore her life and her heart to pieces and left her bleeding and all alone on the barren wasteland of Caen. A tortured child, cursed to never know love to always be shunned and alone. Punished again and again for some long forgotten crime in a past life.

Darien would be her's! By any means possible she would have him fall in love with her! She deserved to be happy!

As the elevator door shut smoothly, he turned sharply to face her. Gripping her arms with both of his and pushing her up against the back wall. She inadvertently shielded herself with the cloth bag, positioning it in front of her as he grabbed her so forcefully. Her first instinct was to defend herself, feeling that he was going to strike her. Which in all her pervious lives had been an accurate assumption. Her prince had come to loath her very existence.

As the elevator glided smoothly into motion, heading up to his condo floor. He searched her eyes, looking desperate like a drowning man. His vivid blue eyes boring into hers seeking answers.

"Darien...your scaring me..." She played the deeply frightened card, looking stricken and near tears. Even though her heart was pounding in her ears with anxiety that she was about to be found out. That this was the end, his hatred and revulsion of her would come to the surface. Expecting him to slap her, revile her for trying to seduce him and cast her out or...kill her for attempting to reclaim his love? Those were all very believable scenarios, since in they had occurred several times in past lives.

He quickly backed off, looking shamed and bewildered.

"I'm sorry, Sweetness. I am just feeling weird is all. Forgive me." He sighed, running his hands through his hair. Looking lost and confused as to why he was distancing himself. It wasn't right, or natural for him to act this way with her. She meant everything to him, he couldn't live with out her...but every time they got to close it was like she was some kind of trigger. He started to feel sick to his stomach, dizzy and just unsettled deep inside his very soul. He just could not understand why she was making him feel so on edge?

"What happened to the Silver Crystal?" He asked, nonchalantly needing to distance himself a bit from her. Moving to the far corner of the cab, smiling warmly at her as his heart rate settled back into a natural rate.

"Uhm...I don't know. I just woke up on the beach and it was missing. Perhaps it used the last of it's powers to save my life? I wished more then anything not to leave you." Serenity stated, her eyes wide and earnest. Closing the distance and clasping both his hand in her's. It wasn't a lie, at least not completely. She had wished for him not to leave her many times over their lifetimes. But unlike Serenity her wishes had never been granted. "I love you Darien...I never want to leave your side. I'm yours forever." She pleaded, gazing up at him, her eyes hopeful and leaned up on her tip toes to initiate a kiss.

Darien sighed, her answer was somewhat dissatisfying. When he realized she hadn't once used her endearment for him. Truthfully this was the first time he had called her by her's, a test in someways. She was different, changed on a fundamental level he couldn't understand. He was wary, she no longer seemed completely herself. Perhaps the Crystal had changed her? Perhaps he just needed to relax a bit around her and then everything would feel right again.

He bent down, receiving her kiss tenderly. He would work through this he promised, this stupid ill feeling would not put a rift between them.

His relaxed kiss, eased the tension and she became more playful again. As the door pushed aside she darted out into the hall. Spinning in circles and swinging her cloth bag around with her, tossing her hips from side to side inciting him to catch up.

"Com'on lover! I can't wait to have you all to myself." She smiled coyly, slowing her erotic stroll to beam her brilliant smile back to him.

Darien sighed and grinned, unable to resist her cute, yet sexy behaviour. Increasing his stride and leading her to his front door.

He fumbled with his keys, as she lightly ghosted her fingers up and down his chest, leaning against the wall beside the door. Blessing him with small, yearning smiles as he worked at the lock. As he eased the door open, she slid with intent in front of him. Tossing the bag of food through the entryway in a haphazard fashion. She had a previous agenda to see through before cooking for him. She would have him begging on his knees, worshiping her and pleasing her in the ways she wished. He was now her man and intended to make sure he knew it!

Darien chuckled, seeing the lusty glare in her eyes as she curled her hands up behind his neck and pulled him into the condo.

A dark BMW town car pulled up before the modern Condo complex, the window reflecting the lush canopy of trees that lined the street. Sleek and boldly powerful the car slowed to a stop before the glass entry doors.

Serenity cast her eyes upward into the mid morning glare of the sun, searching for the cement balcony that belonged to Darien's condo, praying he had gone home. She had been dying to get back to his side.

"Tiger..." She breathed, nervously.

He laughed, "Seriously, I need a better name now that I'm human again. That sounds so awful like I'm some kind of glam rocker from the eighty's." He shook his head bitterly.

Serenity giggled and nodded. "What was your name, before the change?"

He thought for a moment.

"I don't remember." He grumbled back, licking his front teeth in simmering anger. Tomoe's experiments had completely striped him of his past. He was a blank slate, in some ways he grieved about that. In others he felt a wave of hope, he could start over now create the life he always wanted.

"I'll see you soon?" He stated, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"Yeah..." She whispered, then held out her hand. "My golden crystal?" she inquired her thoughts clear enough to remember he had it stuffed in his pocket.

Tiger sighed heavily unwilling to give it up, the crystal scared him and he worried it might overwhelm her again. In the end he pulled the bead out and gave it back to her, it wasn't his to claim.

"Be careful with that thing." He grumbled.

She merely nodded before exiting the car with out a backward glance.

Tiger watched her step out, shut the door and walk purpose towards the Condo doors, her head held high and shoulder's set confidently. Dressed only in Darien's white dress shirt, she held herself like royalty.

"I hope you find your happiness, Serenity, you deserve it." he whispered sadly. He was never going to be the man she wanted, but that didn't mean he had to disappear. He promised himself until he felt all this Beryl business was dealt with he would shadow her and make sure she stayed safe.

Driving up the street he found a parking spot within sight of the front doors, keeping a watchful eye. If Beryl managed to track her down again, he would be there to deal with her.

Serenity couldn't help how excited she was at finally seeing Darien again. Fantasies of how happy he would be finding out she was alive. How he would engulf her in his strong arms, hold her close and whisper how much he loved her, needed her. How he couldn't live with out her. How she would reply the same, bearing her heart and soul to him fully and without regret. They would share the most glorious kiss that would linger and heat the passion between them. How they would make love over and over again, with a promise to never be parted again. Those blissful imaginings, sent her sprinting down the hall to his front door. Finding the front door unlocked she burst into the apartment stoping in fright as she noticed the broken closet behind the door. The wooden slats snapped and piled up over the mound of jackets and shoes. Her heart leapt into her throat as her blood suddenly ran ice cold. Believing his condo had been infiltrated by the Agency, seeking to finish their failed execution back at the Aquarium.

"Oh...god..." she breathed, her bare feet slapping against the hard wood as she leaped from the sunken entryway and into the main living room needing to find him. Her heart was slamming against the ribs and a cold sweat of terror was beading over her skin. Skidding to a halt before the white leather arm chairs taking in the room with sweeping grief stricken eyes. Two new paintings hung upon the back wall, empty can's of coke and candy littered the coffee table. The sight of him entertaining someone left her flustered. She moved down the hall at a more cautious pace, an acidic ball of dread and panic forming in her gut.

She lightly turned the knob to his bedroom, the haze of her past life with Endymion triggered again upon the erotic sight that greeted her within. The sharp, fragmented memories of Princess Serenity sliced through her mind like razor blades. As she stared in horror at Darien laying naked upon the deep blue sheets of his bed, gripping the bare hips of her double. Who was straddling his powerful waist possessively grinding herself against him, arching her back and moaning in pleasure. As he moved beneath her, thrusting his hips in perfect rhythm with hers. Burying himself deep inside her worst enemy. It was a brutal tableau of heated carnal sex, that had her body flushing with humiliation and

jealousy.

He had been staring up at her double with a glazed, confusion before her interruption. His head snapping in alarm at his suddenly open bedroom door. His expression went slack and pale, as he confronted her hurt humiliated pressence in the doorway.

"What the hell..." He blurted out, in a shuddering breath. He was having a hard time registering what was happening.

The real Serenity stood stiffly in the open door frame reliving her past life's anguish of betrayals yet again. Blinking rapidly to clear away the tears, she shot a deadly glare at her doppelganger.

"Beryl!" She shouted in cold fury, the violent menace in her tone vibrating over the silent room like rolling thunder.

"Karma's a real bitch, Hey princess!" Her mouth curved upward into a very smug, vile smile.

"I am going to kill you!" She promised, reaching down deep within herself for the that source of power, that well of silver heat that was her Genesis. Sucking in a startled breath when she found it empty and cold inside of her soul.

"Looking for this..." Beryl gloated, her nude body glowing a vibrant silver as she called forth Serenity's Genesis.

"What the fuck is going on!" Darien bolted upright, tossing Beryl who was still the image of Serenity harshly from his lap.

Just as her palms bloomed with twin glowing discs, landing awkwardly on her butt at the foot of his bed.

Darien was shivering with revulsion at finally understanding why that Serenity had felt so strange to him. Deep inside his soul he had sensed that she wasn't who she claimed to be. Yet he had talked himself into believing it was her. So desperate to have her alive and in his arms, to not be alone again. He felt like the lowest man alive for what he had done. Ashamed and reeling, he braced himself against the front wall of his bedroom, breathing in shallow ragged breaths of panic.

He had screwed up big time! He might not be able to repair the damage...he could lose her for good this time.

"Fuck." He hissed, hating himself for being so weak. Feeling used and betrayed as well. So angry with his own stupidity, never wanting to hurt the woman he loved like this. The pain and shame he felt was unbearable he couldn't even face her right then. Staring at the floor, to drained from the endless battles to even ignite his Genesis State. Left in an impudent rage, glaring dangerously at the floor.

Serenity was so full of rage she stalked forward towards her look alike with out thought. Wanting to rip her own skin off the imposter. Feeling so violated, so unbelievably furious over Beryl's desecration of her own persona.

"Change back!" She shouted in desperation. Unwilling to comprehend, to admit that Beryl might stolen her very soul as well.

"I like this new me." Beryl shrugged, raising her silver discs in a defensive stance. "So does your man there...right lover?" She goaded, hiding her pain behind the only shield she had left...hatred. It was all over...her time with her Prince had ended far to soon. But she had no time to grieve over it, she had to survive this encounter. She had a grander purpose to achieve, she would find solace in that. She had lived with out love for life times, she could do it again...surely.

Darien snarled and glared at the floor.

That brutal knowledge that Beryl had finally won, breaking her so completely Serenity craned her head back and screamed in pain. The raw agony that ripped from her throat vibrated through the room like the howl of the damned. Full of a torment and endless despair that would never end. That demon had taken everything from her, her powers, her family, every shred of happiness that she had clung to and now her true love. She was stripped of everything, even her crystal...there was nothing left...

The abyss of despair and desolation consumed her again as once it did in Caen. But this time she lacked the power to kill herself. Left panting and sobbing in misery. As her dark reflection gloated smugly before her. Her own blue eyes staring at her in mock pity.

"Poor, poor princess. This world will end very soon, your death wish will be granted." she soothed in a silky, seductive tone. " I don't know how you survived my Genesis power. But it would have been better if you had stayed dead. " She smirked. "This world will burn and a new kingdom will rise from the ashes, with me as it's Queen!" She crowed, backing up to the bedroom's floor to ceiling window behind the bed.

"I shall finish my revenge by taking that man as my king!" She promised, pointing her fist at Darien, with the glow silver disc still clutched in her hand. "Wait for me darling, I'll be back to claim you very soon." She giggled madly, slamming a disc through the window and shattering it before leaping out. Plunging away and out of view to the side courtyard below. Finally allowing the tears of loss to flow unchecked from her eyes. The mist of her tears being blow away in the wind of her plummet. The proof of her great sorrow, glittering in the air of the faint dawning light. As she fell towards the sidewalk, her heart once again shredded with the knowledge that she would never...ever be enough for him to love.

The last few moments had been a brutal head trip for both of them. Serenity scrubbed at her tear stained face, a manic sort of laughter bursting from her as she sank to her knees upon the floor. All the anxiety and red hot fury ebbed away as a current of pure melancholy washed over her. Laughing and sobbing uncontrollably, she looked as if she had lost her mind completely.

Darien scrambled to her side, wrapping her up in his arms.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know!" He pleaded into the crown of her hair, his arms banding around her shoulder's and waist tightly.

She writhed out of his grasp, fighting him off then cocking her hand and slapping him across the face.

"Baka!" She shouted at him, her insides boiling with unjust rage and sorrow. Completely and utterly devastated.

Then at the sight of how broken and shattered Darien looked, she reigned in her turbulent emotions. Struggling past the choking lump in her throat, breathing in short raspy breaths as she glared at him. All she wanted to do was curl up in a dark corner and cry. She had nothing left...everything she loved, everything she had believed in had been stolen, tainted and torn to shreds. She couldn't speak, left stunned and gasping for breath. Staring in horror up at a panic stricken Darien with watery eyes. He was near tears himself, feeling that rift of betrayal growing between them.

Serenity clutched her stomach, feeling physically ill. She wanted to throw up, yet she had nothing in her system to purge but regret.

"Sere..." Darien reached for her again, but she scuttled away shaking her head vehemently. Recoiling from his comfort, her whole body shivering and ice cold. She needed to be away from him...away from here. The urge to run was so strong she couldn't fight against it.

"I can't believe it..." She muttered in shock. Her bleak, tearful stare searching the floor for answers. She had no power's anymore beside what Endy's crystal could do. Her most cherished wish had come true...she was completely human now. But it had to great a price...she had lost all her friends, her family and the trust of her true love for it. Darien scrubbed his hands through his hair, wanting desperately to figure out how to fix this. How to comfort her and make everything right again. Darien watched in horror as her face hardened to grow impassive, she slowly rose onto shaking, uncertain legs then bolted out of his room.

"BASTARD!" She screamed, her rage at Beryl and her own short comings scorching her heart. Turning her fury to unjust blame towards Darien. Who on a fundamental level had let her down so horribly. He should have known, he should have never let it get so far! The intense love she had felt for him, twisting into a burning hate. She needed space, needed time to think, to heal, it was all just to much to take.

"Sere! Wait!" His mind was sluggishly spinning to understand the surreality of what had just gone down. Leaping to his feet and sprinting after her, naked and desperate. Watching in horror as she was blinded by tears and clipped the flanking leather chair before the island. Spinning in place before stumbling forward, reclaiming her footing as she raced for the front door.

"This is not how I wanted this to go!" He pleaded in desperation. He was losing everything in a matter of agonizing moments. His life felt like it was ending all over again. As she ran from him, hurting and devastated. Her misery exploding from her small body in ragged sobs as she angrily tripped on the raised lip of the living room. Falling ungracefully onto all fours in the shadowed entryway, her fury shivering over her hunched shoulder's as she glowered at her hands. The humiliation of her clumsy ungraceful shortcomings only adding to how shattered she felt.

Scrambling back to her feet she ripped the front door open, reliving her past betrayal at Endymion's hands so vividly in this moment she raged back towards Darien. "You are a no good son of a bitch! I can't believe I have been giving it up to all this time like some horny slut!" She seethed, then slammed the door.

Darien stood in complete disbelief, glancing shamefully at the broken painting now littering his floor. The dark yin symbol lay in tattered ruins, illustrating so perfectly how shredded and broken the female half of his soul now felt. He stood in naked defeat before his front door, his body bathed in a sheen of cold sweat. He could not let it end this way...this had been the happiest most fucked up night of his life. And the woman who meant more him then breathing had just run out the door. He wasn't ready to just let her go! With a growl of unrivalled determination he raced back down the hall, returning moments later having hastily pulled on his wrangler jeans. He dashed out of his balcony door, bare foot and frantic to fix things before he lost her forever. Leaping over the cement railing he called upon his Genesis Power's to cushion his fall. As he landed upon the sidewalk below, his muscles coiling and releasing from the impact. He closed his eyes and concentrated on that spiritual connection he held with her. Sensing her very soul in turmoil, the painful feelings so similar to when she called to him silently when in danger. Leading him like the red ribbon of fate down the streets of Azabu. As he raced like a blood hound, singularly focused as he ran. Hunting her down, needing to make things right between them. He promised he would not let it end this way! He would do what ever he needed to make her understand, to seek her forgiveness, to make thing right again. He was not willing to live without her!

Alrighty folks, that's it for now. I'll get working hard on the next chapter soon. I know I am putting the character's through the very bowels of hell right now but that's what makes good drama. Not far to go, stay with me.


	3. Chapter 3

Serenity exploded out of the condo complex's front doors like a bullet from a gun. Desperate to flee the scene of her heartbreak. Her mind struggling to comprehend the sick, twisted image of her worst enemy in bed with her one and only love...making love to him with her own body. It bordered on insanity! Was this hell...that was the only logical conclusion. She must have died and been sent to hell for all her sins. The absurdity of it all, left her laughing harshly once again. Shaking her head briskly and running full speed down the sidewalk. She was so angry, so disappointed and confused. It all burned deep inside her chest, roiling and churning like molten liquid. Searing her from the inside out. The violence boiling inside of her needing an outlet for release. With nothing readily available to lash out against as she fled the scene. She could only scream as she ran, purging the fury the only way she could. Her cries ringing out over the streets, shrill and ragged.

It felt as if her love for him had been a tragic joke. Her whole existence was just one big lie! Conflicted by her waring thoughts and memories. She literally felt torn in two, the fragmented pieces of who she was now and who she had been then. Staggering her sense of reality and leaving her shaken to her very core. Once more adrift in that endless sea of self doubt of who she truly was.

Her heart pounded in her ears, creating a dull roar that drowned out her painful sobs. Racing down the sidewalk and into the cluster of trees that framed a large green space at the end of the street. The world before her a watery blur, as her anguish consumed her. She had paid no heed to her surroundings, needing only to get away. She ran blindly down the park path, as it wound through a scenic forest of elms and oaks. Relishing the burning pain in her lungs, the aching in her limbs. Her body had gone numb about a mile back. Yet she refused to slow down. Inhale...exhale...she had to put distance between that horrible scenario back at Darien's condo.

Breathe...

Needing to hide and lick her deep emotional wounds, her heart was shattered all over again and her soul was simply to tired. She couldn't continue to relive this hell again and again. Her mind was spinning with those horrible images of Darien fucking her worst enemy. Leaving her dizzy and nauseated. As if she was on a wild fair ride that she just wanted to get off of. Nasty thoughts of revenge and raw, unbridled hatred poisoned her mind. She wanted to strangle Beryl, to feel the life ebb away beneath her fingertips. As she squeezed the air from her throat, slowly suffocating her. Wanting desperately to purge her mind of the horrid vision of her dark reflection, laying claim to her true love. Before it seared itself into her memory forever. To torment her soul and drive her insane with it's moment of carnal, unrestrained lust. She had felt like a dirty voyeur barging in on that wretched scene, now she was left with the reverberating sting of emotional whip lash. As her feelings swung from fury, to soul crushing hurt and back to smouldering rage again. Her body hurt like a sword through her chest. Leaving her breathless and full of panic, as she ran blind through the parks back gates and back into streets.

Tiger was startled at first when he saw her, not expecting her back so fast. But seeing how stricken she was had him reacting just as fast. He quickly pulled the car out into traffic and following her frantic trail into park with his eyes. Wanting to keep track of her as he cranked the wheel sharply down a side street, not heeding the stop sign and speeding in front oncoming traffic, that honked in retribution to his lack of patience.

The entrance to the park was a simple resting place of cobble stone at the edge of the block with a wooden bench and squat ornate fountain in the center. He charged down the street, knowing the path would deposit her at the end of this six block stretch. As he neared the end of the street, he caught her darting across the crosswalk of the wide intersection and down a back alley between two framed glass office tower's. That shone like twin pillars' of clear crystal, blinding him briefly with the glare of the morning sun. Growling as he lost track of her, he quickly parked along the street. Pulling the shiny, black BMW town car at a meter along the busy avenue. Abandoning the fancy car at the unpaid meter with out a single care. The city could tow it if they wanted to, he had no further use for it. Rushing across the street and deftly avoiding oncoming traffic. Chasing her into the shadowed alley, that wound between the office block of the adjacent street.

She knew the back trails of alleyways, service roads and concrete canals through out Greater Azabu and all the hidden short cuts through commercial Jubaan. It took no effort for her to lose Tiger, amid hidden urban pathways that weaved through the metropolis.

Even without her heighten physical prowess thanks to her Genesis state. She was in top shape, with well honed muscles and a tireless stamina from Ido's years of combat training. She could run for miles with out slowing, and had the natural agility to out manoeuvre most men. She scaled a high chain link fence at the end of the alley, leaping effortlessly to the cement below before charging off down a side alley into a crowded street. Uncaring how poorly dressed she was, in just a button down dress shirt. She was quickly ducking through the human traffic and across another street to disappear underground through a subway entrance.

Tiger growled and scanned the busy street as he burst out of the alley a few seconds behind her, unable to clear the distance she had on him in time. She was a cunning little rabbit when she wanted to be. That was one reason he loved hunting her so much.

Morning past into the heat of the day, as Darien kept on her trail with a tireless determination. Spurned by guilt and panic, he needed to fix things before their relationship was irreparable. He had no time to recoup from his over exertions last night, so his body was straining to keep up to the intense pace she set. As he ran down the streets of Azabu, uncaring over the strange looks he was garnering from the sidewalk clogging crowds. Wearing only a pair of jeans, his chest slick with sweat. Hair matted to his forehead, as his perspiration rolled down his pale face. His eyes were blood shot and his breathing laboured but he refused to give up the chase. He wove with single minded resolve through the masses, unwilling to give into his exhaustion, he needed to find her. He couldn't let it end this way, he couldn't let her go!

His heart was pounding in his veins, a maddening beat that spoke of his desperation. As he mentally kicked himself over and over at his weakness of character. He should have gone with his gut, he had tried to resist her doppelganger and had succeeded several times. But after her delicious breakfast, that she had made with such love, he had felt warm and aroused. At first he had thought it was just his sentimentality, weakening his resolve. He had loved the idea of her being his wife and cooking him meals, taking care of him in all the ways he never had before. The fantasies he had as a young man when they were living together, of her becoming his wife, having a family. Were resurrected by watching her prepare their meal in his kitchen, she had worked so hard, taken such care with preparing the food. He had marvelled from his lounging position on the couch, how relaxed and at ease she was in the kitchen. Cooking seemed to be a passion for her now.

But it hadn't been his Sweetness at all...

In the end after enjoying the meal at the island together, he had become more willing, more compliant to her demands, and easier to seduce. Before he knew it they were naked and on his bed. The weight of his regret over that mistake was slowly crushing him. The pain and distress from Serenity that he felt over their now more pronounced spiritual link only dug the blade in deeper into his heart. He had been the greatest of fools!

It was dusk by the time he jogged into the cool paths of a huge natural park at the outer boundaries of Juuban. His chest hurt, burning mercilessly from his panic and exhaustion. A deep weary ache throbbed through his muscles. Every inch of him heart and soul was in burning agony. He cast his eyes over the forest landscape that surrounded him, the peak of the pagoda roof of the Temple on the hill giving him a rising sense of awareness. This was the same park he had followed her to when this ability to track her first formed in his mind. The night he watched her fight Tigers-eye in her Genesis State for the first time. She had been force of reckoning that night, a trained soldier who knew how to defend herself. She was able to counter and attack as needed, keeping that beast man at bay. She never went in the for the kill, seeking a peaceful conclusion to the beasts blood lust. Darien was so full of fury over her being attacked, terrorfied she was going to be killed. He had lunged for the beast without a plan, wanting only to defend her.

Needing to be her hero...

The sun was setting behind the heavy canopy of trees, the orange flame of dying light broken and scattered through the branches. Dancing upon the dirt path in thousands of tiny flares.

As he neared the bank of a huge man made lake, the cool breeze wafting off the water was welcomed against his hot, sweaty skin. He paid the sparkling water, reflecting the last light of day with an absent minded admiration. The beauty that surrounded him, dulled by the terror that griped his soul. His mind spinning away at how brutally he had failed her. He could feel her nearby, the melancholy that was drowning her making it hard for him to breathe. Casting his gaze slowly down the rocky shoreline to a cement outlook that jutted out over the water.

His breath caught, as a shaky, rasping shudder of air trapped in his chest. As he caught sight of her, leaning against the

cement barrier wall. Still in just his white dress shirt, one arm crossed over the pebbled mortar that encased the solid steel railing. Her chin resting against that arm, her other hand ghosting over the side of her neck where the comforting weight of her headphones used to lay. Her last piece that had connected her to her adopted mother, Ikuko. Vaporized when she used the last of her life force to cleanse Darien of Ceres, tainted power. She looked so lost and alone, her golden hair flying free behind her shoulder's. The setting sun warming her tired, drawn face. With her eyes closed, lost to her thoughts. She never noticed or refused to acknowledge his quiet approach.

Walking cautiously up behind her, he stopped several meters away as if scared she would run again if he got to close.

Serenity slowly opened her eyes with a long drawn out sigh, staring down at her reflection in the clear, dark water below. A pale, haunted ghost stared back up at her from the rippling water. Her eyes swollen and red from crying. She nodded in bitter approval at how horribly worn down and broken she looked. Her whole world had crumbled around her, all her dreams with Darien reduced to ash. Fate or perhaps karma was a cruel, heartless cog that seemed to grind up her happiness at every turn. She had nothing left...again.

Taking a deep breath she slowly turned to confront him. "I have wanted to have a simple life for as long as I can remember." She whispered, a somber quality in her tone filled with sad remembrance. Images of her past lives having bubbled to the surface of her mind through out the day. Creating a grim clarity of how this outcome of heart break and loss was pre-ordained since the beginning of time. " I wished so hard to just be human. " she laughed bitterly. "To fall in love, have a family and never have to worry about to much ever again." Her smile was bitter sweet. "After all this time of striving and failing, I finally had my wish granted...I lost the Silver Imperium Crystal and I am no longer a Genesis Born. I have no power's, no responsibilities..." her voice wavered and died. She should be happy, but the price of her wish was to great. This was the lowest she had ever felt.

"So your human now? Thats why Beryl looks like you, she stole your power and your face?" His voice was raw with disgust. Glaring down at his hands,. as if they had been tainted with her blood. His mind reeling with the memory of Beryl syphoning away Raye's life back at Crossroads High, knowing his girl had endured the same kind of defilement at Beryls accursed hands. The crushing guilt that he had failed to protect her yet again breaking him all over again.

"Yes." Was all Serenity said, craning her head back to stare morbidly up at the deepening colours of the evening sky, as dusk fell around them. A heavy, awkward silence hung like a death shroud between them.

"I need to get my crystal back from her." She raised her head, her blue eyes fierce with that indomitable spirit that always pulled her through the hardest of times. She had no way to actually fight Beryl and win, but she still could not let her have this world. It was suicide but perhaps her death was fated and she needed to accept it?

"She doesn't have it either." Darien explained, rubbing the back of his neck. A painful throbbing was starting at the base of his head. Knowing that all of this was his fault to. He had been entrusted to protect her Silver Crystal but he had been so overwhelmed by grief to fight back, when the mystery lady in black had knocked him out.

"I think that woman in all black took it." He advised, "I am so sorry...I was so broken up over your death I could barely think straight. She followed me back into the cells and knocked me out, then she stole your body." he stated wearily.

Serenity stared down at her knotted hands, nodding. "Black Widow...why would she want it? What is her connection?" She muttered.

Darien took a step forward. "I need to explain!" he blurted out, his voice tight, an urgent panic thick in the strained undertones.

Serenity gave him a bitter sweet smile and raised her hand to ward off his apology yet again.

"I don't want to hear it right now. Darien, but for what it's worth. I am sorry for dragging you into all this fighting,... for everything really." Her voice was clear, calm and devoid of all emotion.

It froze his heart to hear how sterile her soul had become. All her passion was gone, as if it had been syphoned away. Leaving her completely empty inside. He stood in stupefied horror, as she then turned back to the water resolutely ignoring him.

After several heartbeats he approached her, coming to stand beside her against the barrier wall. Squinting his eyes and staring down into the prism surface of the water wanting to understand why it fascinated her so much.

"Do you believe in God?" She blurted out.

"Uhm...no." He replied with a shrug. "With the shitty life I've led, I figure if there really was a God he must be a sadist. So it's just better not to believe in one."

That tragically jaded and angst riddled comment made her laugh a little, morbidly agreeing with his bitter observations. Darien crossed his arms over the cement railing and cast her a small smile. No matter how screwed up their relationship got that under current of easy friendship always remained. A warm connection to one another that always revived, against all odds.

"Neither do I." She smirked, "But I do believe in a force, whose power effects our mortal lives." She took a deep cleansing breath needing to calm her voice as it was breaking with painful emotions.

"It binds and breaks us, pulling us toward each other or away. Our friendships and our loves are not coincidence but fated in some way. My love unfortunately has always been cursed..." Her voice faltered into a strained whisper.

"What are you saying, Sere?" He gasped, wanting to embrace her but holding himself in check. Not knowing if he still deserved to hold her and derive comfort from it. She might just fight and push him away again, rejecting his love like before.

"This isn't the first life I have lived and I doubt it will be my last. It is one of thousands I have lived, all with the same sad outcomes" She stated, still not looking up from the water. A shiver ran over her body, making her tremble. Unconsciously she had known this, that was why she had been so reluctant to rekindle their love. But in the end she couldn't deny the power that bound them together. But this outcome was preordained, already she had left behind her to many lives cut short. Cursed to endure everyone she loved to be torn from her. There was just to much heart break to bear inside her tiny frame, she felt over full with despair and regret. Yet at the same time she just felt cold and empty deep down in her soul.

He frowned deeply remembering the grim words that Black Widow had told him back at the cells. How she was tired of watching her daughter's endless fate of heartbreak and death.

"Because of my actions, my inborn faults of character or perhaps it's just my fate. Everything I love is slowly tainted and destroyed until I take my own life, or an incarnation of Beryl kills me." She whispered huskily, barely in control of her voice. Tears welling in her eyes, making her eyes glassy and shimmer like the purest crystal.

"This isn't the first life in which we have been pitted against one another." She smiled grimly, scratching her fingernail at the stones embedded into the cement of the enclosure.

"Karma..." Darien nodded, understanding a little perhaps of what she was explaining.

"Yes, exactly...My Karma is completely fucked up." She growled, bowing her head again.

"Please don't be sorry, I'm the one who screwed up!" He huffed, picking at the cemented pebbles in the concrete as well now. Needing to do something with his hands to help settle the awkwardness between them and his intense need to grab her and hold her against him and never let go. He was so very scared he had lost her for good this time.

She laughed bitterly, casting her face up to the last rays of the sun and sighing in defeat.

"I never thought this would happen to me again..." She started, laughing off the anxiety she felt. She had been such an idealistic fool. Refusing to look at him. Knowing the kind of soul shattering pain that was crossing his face. Perhaps it had been her optimistic disposition or just her naivety of her past lives that kept her believing they would be alright this time. But she had believed it heart and soul and that fact had crushed her thoroughly. Believing that she could have a happy life with him and all her friends, if they could just survive last night. But it had been just a childish dream. The reality was she had lived this devastation over and over again from one life to the next like it was destiny. She felt absolutely shredded by it.

"I was a desperate, stupid fool." He laughed along with her, his voice just as bitter.

She turned to him then her eyes narrowing slightly, a wrinkle of confusion forming upon her forehead as her frown deepened. She hadn't expected that kind of response from him, believing he would defend his actions and not recriminate himself. It was chivalrous, yet very sad at how patheticly he viewed himself. Darien had always been such a proud and strong man, but this time he looked bowed.

"I knew on some deeper level she wasn't you, but I couldn't handle that you may be dead. I wanted so badly to believe you were alive, that she was you. I tried not to give in at first, to take things slow but she just kept pushing. I finally just gave in..." He cringed, weeping quietly beside her. " The girls might be dead...they were my only family." He choked back

a sob, glancing meekly towards her. Finding her crying openly along with him. "I had lost everything last night, I so desperately wanted you back. I was willing to take whatever I got of you with out questioning it."

"Oh...my Mamoru..." She wept, the ice of betrayal melting at the honest vulnerability she saw.

At the sound of his endearment he broke down completely, knowing that this was his Sere! This shattered soul standing before him, was his girl. It broke him to know he had been the one whole had wielded the knife that had gutted her heart yet again.

How could he have been so pathetic, so desperate...so stupid...

Serenity understood him so much deeper then before. How horribly lonely he had been growing up, how deprived of love and affection he was. How scared he was of being all alone like that again. She turned to him then, unable to deny him her comfort. He swept her up into his arms and held her tight, sobbing brokenly into the top of her head. As she cried into his bare chest, mourning their tragic love and painful past together.

As they embraced the golden crystal she held in her left hand reacted. It began to warm and throb in unison to Darien's heartbeat. She shot out of his arms, staring in shock down at the glowing bead of gold in her palm.

"What is it?" he questioned, wiping away his tears in quick swipes of his thumbs. Looking somewhat shocked and dazed. His mind overloaded by the stress of the day, worried she was rejecting him yet again.

"I don't know, it was just like when my Silver Crystal synced with my soul?" She whispered to herself, but it wasn't reaching for her...She glanced up at Darien, finding him scratching his temple and shaking his head trying to clear it. It had been reaching for him? But Why...this was Endymion's star seed, not his!

"Nothing." She stated more forcefully, still gazing down perplexed at her hand before curling her finger's protectively around the crystal unwilling to show Darien her new treasure. This was all she had left of Daiki and their once ill fated love, she did not want to share that with him. The love she held for Darien felt as different and as similar in it's intensity as her love for Daiki. She did not want those two lives meshing together in anyway. Daiki had been Daiki and Darien was Darien to totally different men...right?

"Lets go home, then." He offered her his hand uncertainly. "I would love to start over, do things right this time."

He was hopeful, swallowing hard when she never took his hand.

"I swear to you, I will never allow Beryl to get to me like that again. You can trust that I will be loyal. I love you Serenity! Only you! I am so sorry, Sere. I am so fucking sorry!" He voice broke as he slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers. He had no idea how to make this right.

"I can't forgive you...at least not yet." She didn't meet his eyes, glancing off, back towards the water. "But I can tell you, I understand. " Because she did, she understood that desperate need not to be alone. To cling to whatever fragments of love that might remain. To dupe yourself into believing that that might be enough to sustain you. Her twisted, one sided love with Daiki in her previous life had taught her that. Beryl hadn't been her, but Darien had been willing to compromise. She couldn't trust that Beryl wouldn't get her claws into him again. If that happened she didn't think she could survive it.

A lone tear fell down Darien's cheek, the distance she was placing between them was intolerable.

"I don't want to lose you. I have never needed anyone...like I need you. I can not live in a world without you in my life." A quiet sob shuddered through his body.

Still Serenity refused to comfort him again, a wall slowly building up between them. She couldn't sooth the ache she saw, when her own heart had a big gapping hole in it.

"Don't leave me..." He reached for her, pulling her unwillingly back into his arms. Grasping her chin with his fingers and forcing her to look up at him. His face was wet with hot tears, that mixed with her own as he drew her near. The moisture of their joined tears, cooled by the evening air made her shiver. He pressed his mouth tenderly against hers,caressing her lips softly with his own. His kisses were not hungry or demanding, but tentative and nervous. He was searching for that passion that always ignited between them. Finding her unwilling to reciprocate at first. Holding herself back, sealing her wounded heart away from him. But unable to truly close herself off to him, her mouth slowly opened in response. As her barriers began to fall, her body melting against his. He slipped his tongue inside. Lightly caressing her own tongue, his invasion was gentle, pleading and sensual. This moment between them was never meant to fuelled by lust, but by a need for forgiveness. The passionate fire that had burned between them was flickering, smothered by the constant trails they had endured.

This was a simple, sweet moment of closure, a goodbye to a love that was never meant to survive.

She braced her hands against his bare chest, pressing her palms against the rigid muscle that incased his ribs. Wanting desperately to free herself from his embrace, unable to draw enough courage or conviction to escape. Yearning for him as she always did, even through those very feelings of need would ultimately kill them both. The sweet kiss was soon becoming more heated, her eagerness to fall back into that passion with him overpowering. She reached up and slipped her hands through his hair, fisting the strands. As she sucked on his lower lip, licking seductively at the corners of his mouth. Coaxing him to open his mouth, as she turned her head to slant her lips over his, her tongue seeking entry. While his hand trailed lower, cupping her butt and pushing her against the hardness of his erection. He wanted her and he knew she wanted him just as badly. She shifted her hips just enough to rub herself against him, seeking to quench a need he always invoked deep within her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him down more forcefully into an all consuming kiss that took both their breath. A desperation gripping both of them, of want and need. To cleanse away all the darkness they had endured and try to heal each other with what remained of their dieing love.

Licking into his mouth, stroking his tongue with her own, desperate to reclaim any shred of happiness she could. He met her kisses with an eagerness of his own, his arms holding onto her like iron bands. Around her waist and over the small of her back, pressing her small body so tight against his own their was no space between them.

Their passion was getting out of control and she was losing her resolve. With a scream of frustration at her weakness she pushed at his chest again with more force, squirming like a wild cat out of his arms. Backing away with her hands up in a warding gesture.

"I love you...I love you so much...oh my...this hurts so bad..." She stuttered out, nearly breaking down again.

"What are you saying?" He gasped, feeling his heart stop as a cold premonition that she was saying a final goodbye. Freezing him in place, barely able to comprehend the coming finality between them. He had thought she was forgiving him, giving him another chance. Now she was pulling away and he couldn't breath.

"I can't do this anymore." Her voice smoothed out to a quiet monotone. "I have been thinking over everything today and I can't love again."

"Be reasonable." He scolded, not knowing how to deal with her this way. She was filled with such a dire panic and so very broken inside. "You just need to calm down, to much crazy shit has happened to us. We just need to talk and work through it all." He pleaded, taking a step towards her. His face pale and frightened.

"I am!" She fisted her hands at she sides and shouted up at him. "I am trying to protect you!...and myself." She finished shamefully, casting her eyes down, as a heavy silence fell between them.

"We will never have our happily ever after. " She spoke, her voice under control again.

"Please, Serenity you can't do this. I know we can work through this." he tried to reassure her, franticly reaching for her arms. Knowing he needed to grab her now! Or this conversation would be all over before he could repair their relationship. She backed out of his reach determinedly. Shaking her head crisply, a stubborn if forced smile upon her face.

"We can't...if we try to love each other again we will destroy each other and everyone around us." She took another step back, leaving the shelter of the outlook. Standing stone still for a moment back on the path, she refused to look at him. Her face was cast in evening shadow, hiding her tears.

"You promised to fight for us this time, not to run..." he ranted, his voice faltering when he realized that it had been Beryl who had promised him that. Serenity had said many sweet and loving things to him over the course of the night, but never had she promised to fight for them. It was telling and it broke him in so many more ways. "You mean to much to me...I can't just let you go!" There was a stricken panic in his voice, before he lunged for her once more.

She spun on her heel and raced away into the concealing darkness of the trees.

"Ashiteru...Mamoru...Goodbye." She called, her voice broken and gasping as she ran from him.

"Ashiteru..." Darien laughed darkly, finally understanding what that word meant. She always used to profess it, when he made love to her back in America. "I love you..." he finished and their was a grim finality to it. This hurt so much worse then when she had said goodbye as she died. She had no choice then, her choice to leave him had been forced upon her. This time she was alive and had chosen to abandon him. It was alarming how painful it all was. He felt as if he was going into shock, his whole body was trembling and he felt ice cold deep down to his very bones.

He wanted to run after her again, beg for forgiveness, crawl on his knees and seek penance in anyway she needed. Or to scream at her for just giving up, for being weak and selfish. She knew that this would rip out his heart and she had done it anyway. But he couldn't move, his feet were frozen to the cement. Staring dismally into the shadows amid the trees. He was shell shocked and sinking back into that pit of utter despair knowing there was nothing he could do. Her mind was made up, she wished to disappear from his life completely.

"I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO!" he roared into the night, hoping she heard him. His voice echoing over the trees like thunder. Because he would never give up on her, never give up on them finding that happily ever after. If he did, he knew he might as well just lay down and die. But he was a fighter, had been his whole life. As long as he had a goal, something to look forward to he could go on living. He would fix things with Serenity once and for all even if that meant taking on that evil force itself, that was keeping them apart.

Serenity ran blind through the trees, deep, broken sobs convulsing her body. Barely able to keep up her frantic pace, her feet were clumsy and uncertain. Stumbling through the dull half light of twilight, as she sought to distance herself from her true love. This was the end...it was the only way to keep him alive. She had to find a way to live without him, but already her world was starting to fade to that emotionless grey that it had been. With her head tucked down she slammed hard into a living wall, rebounding with a yelp onto her backside upon the dry leaf litter.

"Ouch..." She moaned, rubbing her forehead painfully. Tears streaking silently down her face.

"Serenity..." Tiger's soft, concern penetrated her anguished haze. He tenderly helped her up, pulling her into his embrace as new, more profound sobs shuddered out from her body. She held onto him, like he was her only life line. Her nails digging into the taunt flesh of his shoulder blades as she wept.

Tiger grimaced but made no sound, as she peeled shallow ribbons of flesh from his back. Clutching at him fiercely, needing him to ground her lest she die of heart ache right then and there. Her whole body bending in grief, knees gone terribly weak and buckling beneath her. Her frail body held up only by the strength of his embrace. She was broken, utterly irreversibly broken.

In time her body became eerily still, her wails softening and finally growing silent. Until only her tears fell silently, staring hauntingly over the crook of his elbow at the dark underbrush that surrounded them. Full night had fallen as she cried herself hoarse.

"Serenity what happened?" he asked cautiously, he had never seen her so miserable. Like her heart had been ripped out of her chest, her soul shattered in the process. She was shivering like a frail, helpless young bird, featherless and flightless. Staring out scared and alone unable to fathom the brutal world that surrounded her. It was like he wasn't even there, she had shut down completely.

With a tired sigh, Tiger slowly eased them both down to the ground, leaning himself against the rough bark of a tree, as he held her close. The night dragged on, the forest falling under a curtain of darkness. Leaving only the faint sounds of nocturnal animals, calling and scuffling nearby. As Serenity remained unresponsive, locked up deep inside herself and her despair. Finally after what seemed like hours, his question had sank in.

"I let him go..." She whispered her voice barely having any strength.

"Darien." He nodded, shifting his arms to band them more tightly around her waist and shoulder's, securing her fully in his lap. Wondering what the hell happened, but not voicing his confusion. She was in enough pain, she didn't need to relive any of it right now on his account.

She merely nodded. "I can't breath..." She gasped, her eyes still dull and vacant. Panting valiantly for breath in rapid, shallow bursts. As if she was having a panic attack.

Wriggling out of his arms, to sit between his legs. Drawing her knees up uncaring again of her lack of clothing and how much skin she was revealing to him. Ducking her head between her knees and crossing her arms over the back of her head as she took several deep sucking breaths trying to calm down before she fainted.

He rubbed her back in small circles, seeking to soothe her in any way he could. In time she found enough strength to crawl out of the seclusion of his legs and slowly stand up. Her legs were still trembling but she was managing to hold her own weight again.

"I have to go..." She waved weakly towards the woods, her face completely blank of expression.

Tiger huffed and stood up, not understanding fully why she had pushed her true love away. Only that she had moved

heaven and hell last night to keep him alive and now she had simply thrown in the towel. This sudden reversal made no sense at all to him. Why would she breakup with him, after fighting so hard to keep him alive...to be with him again?

"I need..." Her voice broke and she cleared it roughly. "I need you to watch him for me. Beryl has threatened to come back for him. " She finished.

"Ooook, " Tiger drawled. "Babysitting your lover is not my first choice for the evening but, ok. For you and only for you. " Tiger crossed his arms over his bare chest, narrowing his eyes. Seeking to understand why she was running away from Darien.

When she refused to take the bait and retort back smartly he pushed on.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Feeling she might be composed enough to answer his questions.

"No." She stated in a clipped voice then cringed when she caught the hurt in his hazel eyes. "At least not right now, I can't face that again so soon." She gave him a weak smile for understanding.

He merely nodded.

"Fine, I'll go keep an eye on him. But you at least have to tell me where you are going." He stated.

She sighed, struggling with her need for privacy. She was wounded and just wanted to hide for a good long while she didn't want anyone to know where to find her. When she didn't respond right away he spoke up. "Look, my loyalty is to you not him. I don't give a fuck about him. I want to know your going someplace safe. Or I am not doing it. I will track your little blonde ass from Tokyo and beyond to keep you safe understand." He professed sternly, the intensity of his gaze was startling and Serenity found herself spellbound by it for a moment.

"Ido's. I have to tell him what happened last night." She admitted, not looking forward to confronting the old man in the least. He had been upset with her last time, when Beryl had murdered innocence people at her club. After all the shit last night, with the penthouse at the hotel being blown up and then the destruction of the Aquarium. He was going to go completely into orbit.

"Alright, thats good." Tiger nodded, as she turned away. Striding out of view into the surrounding darkness.

"Be safe Serenity." He sighed, then dashed off in the opposite direction to trail Darien where ever he might go.

Tiger had caught up to him easily, trailing him from the rooftops as he wandered the streets of Azabu. The man moved like a ghost, pale and expressionless. Paying little to no attention to his surroundings or the people who occupied the sidewalks with him. Darien returned to his dark empty condo late in the night, after visiting several bars along the way. He was good and drunk, so intoxicated his gums had gone numb along with his brain. Stumbling inside with a long necked sake bottle clutched protectively against his bare chest. Tripping over the raised landing into the living room. He started laughing and slopping sake onto the floor as he gracelessly caught himself with an arm against the doorway. Then clumsily trod into his living room. His feet were heavy and his steps off balance and awkward. Spinning drunkenly on his heel, falling in a broken heep upon the white leather couch. The Sake bottle lay forgotten on the hardwood beside the couch, the last of the rice alcohol draining away out of the neck. Pooling upon the floor, as the deep, heavy snores of a drunken disaster echoed through the darkened room.

Tiger crouched upon the cement railing of Darien's balcony outside, watching the pathetic mess Darien had become. He had silently guarded the broken hearted man all night, as he wandered the streets. A grim observer to the man's alcoholic spiral into oblivion.

He took in the messy kitchen and cluttered living room with a studied eye, finding the broken painting against the far wall with a bleak curiosity. Then let himself in through the balcony door, that was still unlocked from Darien's frantic flight that morning.

"What a mess..." Tiger muttered, his words meaning more then just the cluttered state of the main living area. Walking silently across the living room, glancing down at Darien's inebriated state with disgust. He could understand the hell, Darien was living in. His opinion of the man slightly biased by his own feelings for Serenity. Darien had hurt her terribly. He was quite high on Tiger's shit list right now.

The dark haired man was sprawled across his couch in just a pair of jeans, smelling sour from both sweat and way to many beers.

"You ain't waking up anytime soon, pal." Tiger muttered, picking at the frayed remains of his own jeans in disgust. Then

noticed the hall at the end that lead to the master bedroom. He briskly left the living room, heading down to the bedroom to find some new clothes. Needing to take a shower and freshen up. He was a new man now and he intended to enjoy being human again. No more tongue bathes for him! He was oddly excited about lounging in a tub of hot water again, it was vain and somewhat effeminate how much he was looking forward to that long soak. Wondering if the man had any perfumed soaps or fancy shampoo hidden in his bathroom. The idea of being clean and smelling nice making him almost giddy.

Tiger actually found himself chuckling fondly at the idea of going to a spa or hot springs soon. It had been so long since he could enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Having had to live on the fringe of society like an outcast for far to many years.

Once dressed in a pair of weathered jeans and a black muscle shirt, clean and refreshed from the tub. His wild red hair now tamed into a long ponytail. Tied back with an elastic, he gave off a rouge, rock star like appeal.

Tiger lingered in the doorway to Darien back bedroom, casting the broken window a frown of disbelief. Wondering what the hell had happened this morning. Before he headed to the kitchen to fill his stomach. So far babysitting Darien hadn't taken much effort, it was actually relaxing. He chuckled knowingly to himself, babysitting Serenity would have been much harder. That girl attracted trouble like a magnet. At the thought his stomach dropped. Wondering what kind of trouble she might get herself into in the few hours they had been apart. Then he reminded himself that she was a Genesis Soldier and she would be safe at the Mansion. The security out there was air tight, as long as she stayed safe behind the iron gates he should not have to worry.

So with a stubborn shake of his head he moved into the darkened kitchen to find some food. The kitchen counters were a disaster of used pans and cooking utensils. Two plates, cups and silverware filled the back sink and a cutting board jutted out against the side of the tub. Tiger found left over vegetables and a bag of uncooked rice pushed up against the counter next to the toaster. Turning he found the island taken over by an army green bag and a very hot pink purse. Then a sweet somewhat putrid tang caught his heightened sense of smell. Spinning back around he hunted through the debris of pans and forgotten ingredients. Pulling out a tiny plastic bag stuffed in the back corner of the back counter, hidden discretely behind the wooden spice rack. It looked like dried spices of some sort? He slowly opened the ziplock bag, knowing exactly what it was before he even drew close.

Dried Cannabis?

Why in the hell would Darien cook with Weed?

Tiger gave the drunken man an odd look, tossing the drugs back on the counter with a growl.

What the hell had happened this morning!

Her mind was in a fog, as she walked down the dirt road. Serenity had taken the commuter train out of the city and into the surrounding countryside. So absorbed in her misery to notice the indiscrete looks of scorn and disgust by the other passenger's at her lack of clothes. She just wanted to disappear. Leaving the first station it stopped at, taking to the winding country roads. Walking through out the night, past all the other wealthy estates deeper into the countryside. Headed like a unrelenting arrow straight back into Ido's control. She didn't know what to do, she had no where to go but back here.

The sun was just cresting over the surrounding hills, when she reached the twisted remains of the front gate. The sight drew her back to reality like a bucket of cold water. She blinked away the last few shadows from last night that still muddled her brain. Her eyes focused on a dusty blonde woman, that stood just beyond the gates. Leaning over the hood of a cherry red Porsche. Dressed in long white leather pants and a gun metal grey dress jacket with a white sports tank underneath. A map spread out over the hood, as she traced a route with her finger.

"Haruka..." Serenity breathed, hesitant at first. Shuffling her feet and twisting her finger's in her lap. She had believed her dead, but finding her lounging across an expensive sport car back at the Mansion like nothing bad had happened. Left her uncertain and very nervous. The woman had been furious with her last night, with everything that had happened since then she could very well be even more upset. Expecting the worst, cringing when Haruka looked up.

Haruka turned, smiling weakly and spreading her arms wide. Giving Serenity the opening she needed to rush into them.

"I am so glad your alright!" She wailed, wrapping her arms around the older woman.

Who held her as tenderly as a lover might.

"I can't believe your alive...I thought I lost you too, Koneko." Haruka wept into the top of her head.

It took a few minutes to calm down, but Haruka was the first to pull away. Smiling with relief and joy she brushed away Serenity's tears with her thumbs, ignoring her own. Serenity grinned up at her finding her friends eyes did not hold any of the joy apparent in her smile. Her once warm blue eyes were dull and filled with regret. The same profound sadness she knew was mirrored in her own.

"Ruka-chan?" She asked, cupping her cheek, seeking to comfort her long time friend.

"Its all gone, Serenity." Haruka sighed, taking a moment to close her eyes and lean her cheek into Serenity's hand.

Seeking only a momentary comfort from the smaller young woman. Then she turned and strode back to her map.

"What's all gone?" Serenity was confused, a cold anxiety griped her chest.

Haruka gave the back of her neck a scratch, needing to collect herself before explaining. It hurt far to much to just blurt it out. She needed to prepare herself to admit the truth of Michiru's fate, her betrayal.

"Michiru's dead. " Haruka stated, the harshness of her statement was like spitting out poison.

Serenity gasped, her hand flying to her mouth to hold back an even greater sob.

"It's all kinda funny, really. " Haruka shrugged, turning and leaning her butt against the side of the hood. Casting her eyes up to the pale dawn now warming the sky. She had a bitter sweet smile on her face, her eyes shadowed with regret.

"I was so caught up in my own shit, I never pushed for her to tell me what was wrong. I knew she was unhappy, knew it for years. But I just didn't want to suffer anymore heartbreak, anymore rejections from her. I was a selfish coward, I should have fought for us. I should have swallowed back my own fears and worked threw our relationship problems. Instead I ran to you, because you weren't a burden on my heart. You were suffering in the very same ways I was. A kindred spirit, who asked nothing of me in return. And for a brief time, we made each other happy...right?" Her smile weakened, a pleading look in her eyes.

"Haruka..." Serenity breathed, her words hitting home for how she had just abandoned Darien, yet again. She had taken the easy way out, convincing herself that she was doing it for him. When in reality she was doing it only for herself. She couldn't bear to endure any more heartache, when she sought to love him...everyone suffered not just them. The wrath they evoked trying to love each other, was like an immortal time bomb. Their days of happiness ticked away as the power to separate them grew, then with out warning everything they loved would be blown away.

"I could have changed her fate...if had been strong enough to just keep loving her!" She spun violently and thumped her fist against the side of the wheel well, denting the metal.

Serenity sucked in a startled gasp, the words striking her heart like a physical blow.

Fate...

Her doomed love?

Was she strong enough now to change her own Fate?

"Beryl attacked the mansion last night, Michi sold us out." Haruka huffed, not facing her. Averting the pain in her eyes away, focused intently on her map again. Needing to gather herself and stop the tears that were now falling, dropping like rain upon the paper. Staining the roads and byways of Japan, with her anguish.

"Oh...Haruka..." Serenity reached for her, but the dusty blonde batted her comforting hands away.

"It gets worse! She killed my uncle and..." She couldn't bring herself to say their names. She was so full of rage and grief right now. She knew Serenity would have to go through the same pain, but she did not have the courage to be the one to inflict the first blow.

"Go check what's left of the place, I can't do it again!" She snarled, balling up the map and tossing it in the front seat.

"What your gonna find is going to hurt like hell! But you can take comfort in the fact, your girlfriends from America, they made it out alive last night. So it wasn't a total massacre." She stated in a rush, flinging open the driver's side door in anger.

Serenity heart swelled momentarily with relief, knowing the girls were alive. The joy of the moment dimmed quickly though, her smile faltering. Knowing not all of her loved ones were as lucky. That their bodies lay somewhere within the Mansion.

"Were are you going..." Serenity tentatively approached her car.

"I don't know, but I suggest after you get your answer's you disappear as well. The Agency is after us, we all got a price on our heads. Pull up all your roots in Osaka, you have to be untraceable." She slipped into the car, casting her one last serious stare.

"I called the police, you got about twenty minutes to say your goodbyes. Take care of yourself, princess." She took a deep breath, cranking the car to life with a loud roar then tore away out of the twisted iron gates. Leaving Serenity coughing in a cloud of dust. Her last word were telling. She had always used one of either endearment Koneko or Princess when speaking to her. But this time when she uttered the word Princess, her voice was husky and filled with a long remembered pain. A pain she recognized. Resurrected from the the forgotten memories of the Silver Millennium, that she was just laying claim to now. Perhaps Haruka was starting to remember that time long, long ago as well.

Serenity stared in dark contemplation after the rolling dust cloud, until it faded out of view behind the hills.

"Take care, Haruka." She sighed, bowing her head and trudging up the long tree lined drive to what remained of the Mansion nestled deep within. That cold, uncompromising dread that she was headed to a fresh graveyard of dear friends twisting her gut. Rubbing her stomach unconsciously, holding back the fresh tears the wished to flood from her. She approached the burnt out remains of the once grande english manor.

Tiger had taken up residence in the flanking armchair, staring down at the comatose Darien with a predator's unblinking stare. He had not moved, or even adjusted his posture, waiting with an infinite patience for the drunken young man to regain consciousness so he could get some answers. The anxiety at leaving Serenity's side and the disheartening clues of drugs and assault that surrounded the apartment. Left a very unsavoury, roiling aftertaste in his gut. As his imagination spun down some very dark and despicable paths. Making his blood simmer and his rage deepen. It made him despise the man even more. He had hurt Serenity beyond repair and if it turned out be intentional he was going to rip the man's heart from his chest while it was still beating!

Darien felt his body twitch, then with a painful moan he tried to open his heavy eyelids.

"How the hell, did you get yourself into this mess in less then a day?" Tiger growled out.

The clear threat in his voice, charged Darien's fighting instincts and he bolt up on the couch. His foggy mind recognizing the man who had guided him out of the Aquarium, calming the adrenaline coursing through his system. He groaned and heaved, clamping his mouth tight to keep any vomit safely inside his body. As the burning acid of his stomach and stale whiskey greeted the back of his throat.

"Oh...fuck..." He groaned nauseously, stumbling to his feet and lurching for the kitchen. Heading for the smaller empty sink set beside the main sink full of dishes. Heaving the bile and liquor from his body down the drain.

Tiger huffed and rolled his eyes, his patience thinning by the second.

When he was done, he wiped away a trail of spit with the back of his hand. Rising from the sink, with the world still spinning sickeningly around him. Squinting out the balcony window to find the morning sun glinting off the tower's in the distance.

"This has been the longest night of my life." He grumbled.

"You were unconscious for most of it." Tiger smirked.

Darien flipped him off, returning to the couch and falling in defeat upon the cushions.

"Mind, letting me know what happened between dropping Serenity off and then having to pick up the pieces of her heart in the park last night?" Tiger raised his eyebrows accusingly.

Darien passed him a bleak, confused look.

"You were there?"

"Not relevant." Tiger quipped back, with impatience.

It was then Darien noticed the light blinking on his phones base, showing he had a message. He rose back up with a grunt and headed for the island.

'Darien, if you are still alive and get this message. We made it out too.' Mina's voice echoed through the tiny speaker. Sounding tired, her relentless spirit still strong in her voice though. 'We are at the International Hospital in Yokohama, Zac's in a bad way. He has severe head trauma and some broken ribs. The rest of the guys are ok. ' Mina was silent for a moment gathering her breath. She was never to tactful, just spewing out all the information all at once. 'The girls are ok too...please call the Hospital if you get this, we need to know if your alive. Its bad enough we lost Sere last night, I can't handle losing you too.' She was all out sobbing by the end of the call.

Darien rubbed his hands down his face, scrubbing away all the grief he had felt not knowing if they were alive. Relief flooding through him like a balm, as he darted for the bedroom to retrieve his laptop. He needed to search for the phone number.

A few minutes later, Tiger watched in mild amusement as Darien ran about his apartment in a frantic state, pacing the floor behind the couch as the call connected.

When the operator picked up, Darien jerked, as if waking from a fog.

"Darien Shields...uhm. Could you transfer me to the ICU, I am looking to speak to a Mina Anderson? She is up there visiting Zachariah Hofer?"

"Yes, I'll wait." He finished, returning to his pacing.

Tiger lounged back in his chair crossing his arms behind his head resigned to wait for a little more for his answers.

"Hello?" Darien called cautiously into the phone, when the silence lingered on the line for far to long.

Tiger winced as a loud, abrasive and shrill scream irrupted from the receiver.

Darien bolted the phone away from his ear, with a huge grin plastered to his face. His eyes finally looking alive once more.

"Mina..calm down, or they are going to throw you out." He nervously replaced the phone to his ear and sought to calm the young lady on other end.

Tiger sighed, stretching his bare feet out onto the coffee table with the understanding that Darien was going to be on the phone for a real long time.

He broke the news that Sere was also alive, recieving even more joyful screams that was soon echoing from the other three women nearby. Soon followed by soft words of thanks and grateful disbelief that she was alright. He smiled broadly as he listened to them chatter amongst themselves, then continued his tale. Excluding the parts about Beryl, not willing to open that wound just yet. He explained that Beryl had taken her powers, leaving her human again. To which garnered another round of screams and furious debate amongst the girls.

Tiger narrowed his eyes in fury as he over heard the whole sordid tale of how Beryls had syphoned away Serenity's identity and her powers. Watching Darien pace with a heated glare, burning towards him. Making Darien roll his shoulder's nervously, as he promptly turned away from Tiger. Seeking to ignore the man's hard scowl and focus on his phone call. He held the phone tight in a sweaty palm, during the long pauses of listening to Mina's report of what happened to them and how they all wound up at the hospital. Deflecting as to Sere's where abouts now, when Mina wanted to talk to her. Stating she wasn't in the condo right now but he would tell her to call as soon as she got back. It was an optimistic lie, filled with hope that he could get her back. That one day she would willing be a part of his life again.

"How's Zac?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Needed to refocus the conversation away from the absent Serenity.

"So Jed's staying with him then and the rest of you are headed back to Tokyo this evening?"

"Alright, see you then." He paused for a long while, swallowing hard.

"Love you guys, I am so glad your alive." He finished in a rush, hanging up the phone right after his confession.

Tiger raised his brows in question. "That was quite the sweet goodbye for just a friend?"

Darien shot him a glare. "They are more then friends, They're my family."

Tiger merely nodded. As Darien released a long sigh of relief, his head hurt and he still felt like throwing up. He was beyond happy to know everyone was safe, even poor Zac would eventually make a full recovery it would just take a while. He needed to take some tylenol and start drinking some water to kill this hangover. He left Tiger and retreated to the bathroom for some pills, when he returned to the living room. Tiger tossed the little bag of Cannabis on the coffee table.

"Sure this won't help cure what ails you?" He shot snidely at him.

"What the hell..." Darien breathed, ignoring the pills in his hand, as he moved to the couch to inspect the drugs.

"Found it tucked away back in that mess of a kitchen." Tiger took a deep breath, needing to settle his rising anger.

Darien leaned back into the couch and scrubbed his face in frustration. The pieces all coming to together as to why his resolve had weakened so much after breakfast. The true reason Beryl had been searching threw that organic market. He had watched her tuck all kind of fruit and odds and ends into her cloth bag, never once thinking she had bought weed. She had drugged his food to make him more relaxed, more mailable to her will.

"Fuck me..." he growled, shaking his head. He had berated Sere when they were kids to be on guard about her drink getting spiked at the Rocks, and yet he had fallen prey the same tactic. He had been such a trusting fool, because he had been so desperate to believe she was alive again. Beryl had used his weakness towards her, manipulating his grief and need for her at every turn. To hurt the real Serenity! He began to laugh bitterly, at how wretched everything had turned out.

"I cant' win..." He chuckled, "I can't fucking win!" He slammed his fist down into the glass coffee table shattering it.

Tiger jumped to his feet, alarmed by the man's sudden assault and the raw power behind his fist.

"What happened?" Tiger asked again, his voice calm and controlled needing Darien to calm down and explain everything.

Darien cast him a dark look before taking a deep breath, gouging his heart more deeply as he explained his betrayal and Serenity leaving him over it. How Beryl had stolen her looks and her powers, leaving her human again. Tiger merely nodded, having already heard some of this sordid tale from before. It explained perfectly why Beryl had killed one of her own soldier's to seal his dress shirt. She needed to dress the part, to make sure she was identical to the original Serenity. So that if she ran into any of Serenity's friends during her escape they would be reluctant to question her right away.

"Beryl wants to rule the world, she needs Serenity's crystal to do it." Tiger scratched his nose.

"But the crystal won't listen to her?" Darien stated, matter of factly.

"Perhaps, looking like her and having her Genesis would confuse it enough to sync with it." Tiger responded. "She just needs it to grant one wish."

"Which was why she tried to kill Serenity in the first place." Darien concluded.

"But with the real Serenity still alive..." Tiger added.

"It won't be fooled!" Darien leaped to his feet, exploding down the back hall to grab a shirt.

"She lost all her powers?" Tiger snarled, heading for the front door. "If Beryl tracks her down, it will be like a lamb to the slaughter!"

"Do you know where she is?" Darien darted after him, throwing on a tight white t-shirt as he left the apartment. Tucking his wallet and spare cell phone into the side pockets, as he locked up. He had activated it yesterday morning, having lost his good one the night before.

"She went to Ido's." Tiger called, thundering down the stairs to the underground parking lot. With Darien at his heels.

"She is a selfless little fool." Tiger growled. "I should have never left her to babysit you, Beryl might want to possess you but her obsession to kill Serenity is far more intense. I knew better!" He shouted in fury.

"She will always care more about other's then herself." Darien called back, knowingly. "If there was even a chance Beryl was coming after me again. Knowing I was already fooled by her before, she wanted me to have back up."

"Back up!, I'd have back handed you upside the head if you ever let Beryl come within ten feet again!" He yelled up the stairs, slamming the iron door to the parkade wide open. He's worry twisting into a blind fury towards Darien.

Darien over took him, sprinting across the cement in the grey half light of the parking lot, his feet thundering down the empty cave like structure. As he made his way past several parked cars to his Black Harley, swinging his leg over the seat and turning the key. The bike roared to life under his hands, as he backed it out of the stall. Finding Tiger standing dumb struck in the parking alley, staring at the bike.

"I am not righting Bitch behind you!" He stated scornfully.

Darien merely shrugged, preparing to push off and leave Tiger behind.

"Fine..." Tiger growled under his breath, awkwardly mounting the bike behind Darien. Moving his hands nervously from the sides of the leather seat to the backlight wanting to find something to hold that wasn't Darien.

This was so embarrassing!

Darien kicked off from the cement, making Tiger instantly grab a hold of him as he sped up the ramp and out of the automatic doors.

Darien glanced down, finding the man's longer then normal finger nails digging uncomfortably into his hips. "If those hands go any lower the Bro-mance is over!" Darien advised with a smirk.

Tiger growled into his ear, swearing and promising life threatening violence if anyone found out about this.

Darien laughed, his spirits finally lifted with this flight to Serenity's side. It was giving him purpose, as her protector once more. With a goal of forgiveness to work towards, he would win her back, her trust and hopefully in time her heart. He would aways be by her side, in what ever manner she needed. He would never be content to just being friends, but he could be patient and perhaps one day they could start again. He couldn't help the odd thought that crossed his mind. It was like high school all over again. He had hurt her, betrayed their love when it had been in it's infancy. Trying to keep face with his gym buddies in the park so long ago. In turn she had ran from him, that was how she protected her heart. A defence she had learned a lifetime ago, thanks to the trauma her heart suffered at Daiki's hand. This time though he had been the one to wound her, in that very same deplorable way. He just hoped he could be given a chance to heal her, if it took the rest of his life for his redemption to come...so be it.

He was starting to understand how Serenity came to the conclusion that their doomed love was cyclical. If they were once again back at the beginning of that downward spiral back to death, he would need to figure out how to break that cycle of fate.

This time he would give her that happily ever after!

"What's your name?" Darien called over his shoulder as they slowed to a stop light. Realizing he had yet to ask.

"Tiger." The red headed, wild man replied.

"Sounds like the lead singer of some eighty's glam band..." Darien muttered at the weird name.

Tiger growled threateningly in his ear once more as they raced away through the light, weaving into the congestion along Shiba Expressway.

The air was stale, heavy with the pungent order of decay. Serenity had to press her hand firmly against her mouth to prevent her gag reflex. The walls of the lower halls were blackened and chard from the fire. The hardwood crunched like brittle twigs under her bare feet. Nothing was recognizable anymore, the arched windows in the huge foyer yellowed from the smoke. Casting a dirty, smudged reflection over the front yard. The paintings that once lined the halls were melted and twisted upon the floor. The ornamental vases shattered, the ceramic fragments yellowed and bubbled from the intense heat.

An eerie unease settled in her gut, as if she was trespassing on hallowed ground. Invading some sacred tomb that despised her, only because she was still alive. People she loved had died horrible deaths here, imagining the anger they had felt in their last moments, still lingering like a sickness all around her.

She had to blink rapidly to keep the tears welling in her eyes at bay, as she slowly, methodically made her way deeper into the once luxurious mansion. Moving as if on auto pilot straight to Ido's office.

As soon as she entered through the battered and broken doorway, she took note of the damage and broken back window. Then she fell to her knees in grief, as she found the blackened remains of her dutiful protector, sprawled behind the door.

"PO!" She wailed, her body trembling as more powerful sobs shuddered through her. She mourned his death, allowing herself a few minutes to release some of her pain.

"What about Delun...your son?" She pleaded to his silent corpse. Her innocent question sparking a clarity with in her. Gathering her composure as quickly as she could, she didn't have much time to investigate and their were other bodies she needed to find.

"You have watched over me for a long time, Po. It's about time I start returning the favour. Your son will be taken care of, I will make sure of that." She nodded, standing up resolutely and leaving the room. She found no trace of Ido, neither did she really search. Haruka's word was good enough...the old man was gone.

What ever remains there might have been of the powerful political man that had been Ido Takahashi, had been reduced to ashe in the heat of the fire. Striving his whole life to change the world, forcing his will upon all who crossed his path. Whatever imprint he had created upon others in life, would now dwindle and fade as no trace of him remained. His dictates as a would be visionary of the future no longer relevant. Most of his army of Soldier's lay dead, the survivor's soon to be scattered. With both of the would be kings, Tomoe and Ido now gone. Their Genesis Born would be left to chart their own course.

Their future was now their own to command.

Serenity moved quickly through the halls, tracing her way back to Setsuna's office. Her mind screaming that Rini may have been here during the attack! She couldn't bare it, if the young girl had gotten caught up in all this blood shed. Pushing away the even bleaker thoughts that she might be dead.

Praying that Helio's had been with her, protected her as he always did. As Rini had been her little shadow over the years, Helio's had been Rini's. When ever he was at the Mansion those two were usually inseparable. She jogged at a fast pace when she rounded the last bend, bolting through the french doors and stoping dead. Her breath taken brutally from her by what greeted her within.

"Konichiwa, Princess." Beryl hunched over the dead bodies of Setsuna and Hotaru. Casting her a devils grin from her very own mouth. Her dark soul still sheathed inside the mirror skin of Serenity. She lightly tossed her long golden blonde hair over a slender shoulder. Dressed innocently in one of her simple white sundresses, with a low rounded neckline and puffy sleeves. A sweet baby blue apron front tied with a large cute bow at the small of her back. It was so creepy seeing herself like this, a surreal vile after image of what she might have been if she possessed the twisted evil spirit of Beryl.

"Like my outfit?" She laughed sweetly, "Your room upstairs survived the fire. I had a very nice time exploring your closet and all your little trinkets. You really are a silly, love sick, little girl at heart?" Beryl commented. "I have never seen so many unicorns and Pegasus's...your room looks like something out of some sappy romance novel." She spat, picking at her sundress in distaste. "This is the best I could find in that tragedy you call a closet and I still feel childish. You have the fashion sense of a twelve year old!" She berated her, with a taunting half smile.

Serenity glared darkly, feeling even more violated that Beryl had gone through all her belongings. Unable to retort back she was so furious.

Beryl ignored her threatening look, casting her eyes back down at the bodies.

"Tragic really...how they died." Beryl shrugged, her attentions once more upon the two young women snatched by death in the prime of their lives. Her smile fell languidly into a contemplating frown, as she lightly brushed away a stray strand of dark hair from Setsuna's pale face. The two woman were collapsed together on the floor before her thick wooden desk. Setsuna's arms were draped around Hotaru's shoulder's as if she had sought to comfort the insane girl in her last moments. Hotaru lay in Setsuna's limp embrace, a hole shot through the center of her forehead. With a pool of congealed blood soaking the hardwood beneath both of them.

"Setsuna was consumed by her own Genesis, as she stopped time. A sacrifice I figure to save someone or perhaps stop poor Hotaru from completing her directives." Beryl tossed her head towards the broken long back window in the smoke damaged office.

It was then Serenity connected the wreckage in both offices, both had the same broken windows. Something large had charged through both windows during the fire?

"The little rabbit is no where to be found..." Beryl sighed, giving Serenity a mocking pout. "She seems to have your uncanny ability to escape death."

Serenity smiled with satisfaction, pleased that Rini had escaped this death cage. Growing somber as she started figuring more things out.

"She stopped time and put Hotaru in the path of her own weapon..." Serenity deciphered in a hush.

Beryl merely nodded. She hadn't been embracing Hotaru, but holding her in place like a sacrifice. It must have happened in the blink of an eye. Hotaru had lived a tragically unfair life, only to be used and killed as a pawn for Black Widow. It made Serenity to very angry, not even Hotaru the girl who had killed her father deserved to be used and killed like a rabid animal.

"That really sucks!" Beryl growled, "Puts a real wrench in Widow's plans." She sighed again and smacked her hand onto her knees before rising up to her feet. "I was really looking forward to the chaos and ruin she was going to inflict upon this country." She grimaced in disappointment. Then her eyes scrolled up to meet Serenity's eyes. Her stare was deliberate and calculating, a glint of madness in the depths of those crystal blue eyes.

Serenity swallowed hard, she had no defence. She was human now!

The charge of fight or flight instincts coming alive within every nerve of her body. She stood her ground for all of a second, raising her fists in defence. Her mind racing to figure a way out of this. If Beryl got her claws into her, she was dead!

Beryl started to roar with smug laughter. "Starting to figure out why I poisoned you, my dear?"

"You would have never been able to subdue me otherwise...you needed me weakened." Serenity shot back, taking a deliberate step out of the door. Keeping her eyes locked on Beryl's, like a prey animal seeking escape.

"How much weaker could you be now that your just a pathetic human woman?" She strode over the two bodies, swaggering with purpose towards her.

"Do I scare you now?" She called sweetly, as Serenity bolted away down the hallway. "You have no idea what true fear is!" She screamed, her voice breaking in both fury and pain. "But you will...you will" She promised, in a silky smooth sing song.

All righty, I know this was another hard, gut wrenching chapter to get through. But we have hit rock bottom now, no place to go but up now!

Thanks for hanging in there! I will update as quickly as I can.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: SamSara**

Serenity had long since abandoned the scattered, knee jerk thinking of her teenage self. Years of battle and long hours of training had honed a true soldier. Ido called it the Battlemind...when higher thought was focused upon a single purpose.

Survival.

As she dashed down the hall, she assessed her location and available options for defence. Pushing all of her raging emotions aside, locking them up in a mental box to deal with later. Heading in the relative direction of the mansion's kitchen. Since her room had been compromised already, she doubted it was still even intact. Knowing Beryl she would have destroyed everything she owned. She couldn't deal with more of her life being obliterated and she wasn't going to find anything useful up there anyway. Everything she truly cared about was packed in her army green pack, currently safe at Darien's condo.

So she headed towards the best available option to find weapons.

Rounding a bend to quickly, her bare feet slipping upon loose ash she skidded into the adjoining hall. Her shoulder bounced off the wall, as she scrambled to regain her feet, with Beryl's manic laughter taunting her from behind. "Are you frightened yet?" she called, her voice shrill and taunting.

Serenity never even glanced over her shoulder as she burst through the blackened archway into the huge luxury country style kitchen. It looked mostly unscathed by the fire, the plain white walls unmarred by soot or stained by smoke. The stainless steel appliances still gleamed a brilliant silver. The industrial sized sinks littered with dirty cups and bowls, as if living people still inhabited this broken home. The large bay window at the back of the kitchen that held the built in solid oak breakfast nook. Looked as cozy and inviting as ever. She past it a fond smile, remembering all the lazy meals she had enjoyed in the early mornings with Rini or late at night. Warm memories of her time with each of the girls filtered through her mind, briefly. They truly had been a family for four years, the understanding that that time was over now. Choked her heart and had her shuttering for breath, threatening her emotional control.

The pristine, untouched quality of the kitchen could almost make her believe none of those horrible things had happened to her friends here. For a moment she could delude herself that this was all just a bad dream and in a moment she would wake up in her bed upstairs. With Rini pounding annoyingly on her door for her to get up and hang out with her.

The fantasy lasted only a moment.

"Oh...Serenity...Oh, Serenity...where for art thou, my sweet, sweet, Serenity?" Beryl called, laughing delightedly at her mutilated version of Shakespeare.

Serenity darted for the black granite island, the heightened awareness of coming threat exploding behind her. She lunged for the wood block that sat on the island, housing all the carving knives. Taking quick stock by their handles which kind of blade she wanted. Pulling out a slender carver's knife that was used to skin meat near the bones. This she could wield with both dexterity and precision, to defend herself or slip between the ribs of her attacker for a fast kill. She hated that she even had that kind of grotesque knowledge towards close combat. Detested even more that she had the skills to actually use a knife in that manner. But Beryl always brought out the worst in her. She seemed the only one capable of inciting her rage to the point of murder.

Serenity crouched behind the island out view of the entry archway, with her back pressed up against the utility drawer's. Taking long calming breaths, settling her heart and counting Beryl's footsteps as she encroached closer. Needing to free her other hand, she tucked the golden crystal between her breasts in the makeshift pocket her bra provided.

"How many life times have we played this game?" Beryl mussed, trying to draw her out with polite, unassuming conversation.

Serenity shuttered, it was so unnerving hearing her own voice taunting her. Like she was living some surreal nightmare in which her evil alter ego was physically hunting her. Wanting to kill her, as if it was a premeditated murder of herself. Like some twisted version of suicide...

Part of her wanted to laugh at the irony, was this her supposed Death Wish made flesh? Instead she swallowed the rancid bile now surging up her throat from her unsettled stomach and held firm to her position. Needing to be patient and wait it out a bit more. Beryl needed to almost be on top of her, before she allowed her hiding place to be known. Then she would strike, still undecided if the knife thrust would be to maim or kill? She guessed Beryl would force that ultimate decision for her.

"I'm guessing thousands...since my soul is tragically tied to yours. I have no choice but to kill you over and over again." Serenity could imagine the cold, malicious smile that crossed her lips. Beryl seemed so resigned to the fact that they were destined to kill one another. Like murdering her had become something mundane like washing ones hands.

"Every reincarnation you blessed me with has to endure the same unalterable outcomes." She sighed melodramaticly.

"You hated me so much by the end, Princess. That you cursed me to relive my wretched life of alienation for all eternity. I am destined to be feared and loathed by others for the mere fact that I am alive." Her laughter was dry and brittle. "And you think I'm a monster..." She finished with a tired sigh.

Serenity's heart stumbled, suddenly unable to beat normally. Her confession like a sword, striking deeply into her very soul. As she blinked back tears of morbid understanding. The jumbled memories of the lives she had endured forming a connection, like links in a inalterable chain. Backwards to that very first life...when she wasn't human but the immortal princess of the Moon Kingdom.

"At first I thought I just hated you because you forced my vile Genesis, that you created this grotesque creature of masks, I had become." Beryl went strangely silent, even her soft footfalls paused. "Then I absorbed you and all your sins became clear."

Serenity shot her head up, finding her mirror image glaring down at her from above. Beryl was leaning over the island, looming over her like a judge. Both of her hands glowing with her twin energy discs.

The sorrow and anguish in Beryl's reminiscing had made her pull her guard down. Made her retrace her own reincarnations in an attempt to find the blame she placed on her shoulder's. In feeling sorry for Beryl she allowed the woman to sneak up on her and had placed herself in harms way.

Cursing she dove into a forward roll, the blade of the knife clacking against the dull beige tile as she then spun on her toes to confront Beryl. The knife poised in her hand as she crouched, the muscles in her legs twitching, prepared to evade an attack if it came. Only making it a few meters out of Beryl's reach, with her back pressed up against the back cupboards.

"Always were a quick one...like a rabbit." Beryl grinned. "But I have always been cunning, like a wolf. So no matter what life we find ourselves living, you will always...always be my prey!" She leaped up onto the island, crouching upon the slate countertop like a predator.

"A rabbit I may be, but I will never be anyone's prey ever again!" Serenity snarled, refusing to give into Beryl's intimidation. She had survived the mental and physical brutality Daniel had inflicted, the indescribable trauma of Beryl ripping her Genesis and DNA out of her body. And she was still alive...still sane enough to finish this!

She wasn't going to lose her only weapon, clutching her knife more firmly in her sweaty palm. Serenity locked her determined glare up to Beryls cold, calculating stare. Waiting for her to make the next move. She would remain on the defence until a better position to strike, arose.

She knew Beryl's ploys, knew how to counter her mind games. Why had she allowed the woman to get under her skin so quickly?

Because she felt guilty...all of this unending struggle was her fault. She knew this, even if she could not recollect how.

She knew this Karmic cycle had begun thousands of years before during the Fall of the Moon Kingdom.

The guarding knife she was holding up began to fall, as her glare softened towards pity.

"I'm sorry...Beryl." She stated, "You didn't deserve this hell I've sentenced you to." seeking to find some common ground with the obviously unstable woman. The apology falling somewhat flat as her inborn hatred of the woman still marred the purity of the act.

"What..." Beryl gasped, staring down at her in utter confusion. Her rage faltering for a moment into a temporary fuge of uncertainty.

Which allowed Serenity to gather herself up to her feet, the sudden pounding of blood circling back from her legs to her heart, making her suddenly dizzy. She kept her back to the cupboard drawers, clutching the counter top with her free hand. Inching along cautiously until she reached the end, then scrambling behind. So that the back counter was now between her and Beryl.

"What all do you remember?" Beryl whispered nervously, not wishing to believe Serenity actually felt guilty about what she had done countless lifetimes ago.

"That I loved you once..." Serenity breathed, taking in the astonishment upon Beryl's face as a sign. That she was breaking through her years of blame and rage towards a fragile state of understanding between them.

"You were my first friend on earth, my Sensei...you taught me all about this world and what it is to be human." She smiled sadly at Beryl, her heart filled with shame at how things had ended between them so long ago.

Beryl smiled weakly and nodded, tears welling in her crystal blue eyes. Serenity sucked in a sharp breath it was so strange watching her own sweet face smile so harshly. Beryl was such a bitter and tainted soul, that even a simple acknowledgment as a smile, seemed pinched and cynical. She had been through just as much hardship, but her heart had yet to be twisted to that cruel extent. To see such spite still hidden in the depths, upon her own face was shocking.

"You betrayed me first." Beryl accused in a painful hiss, as she climbed off the island, stalking towards her with a measured stride. As Serenity instinctively backed up towards solitary doorway at the back of the kitchen. Her eyes never straying from Beryl, moving with purpose towards that door, yet never giving any signals that it was her final destination. Acting frightened and trapped, she kept stoking Beryl's predatory dominance over her. Wanting to keep her feeling smug and off guard.

"I don't..." Serenity started, her eyes drawing inward to review those ancient blurred memories.

"Endymion." Beryl spat as if she was stupid.

Serenity's eyes flew wide with sudden recognition.

"I may have been the first to find you, wandering lost and scared in the woods. But it was my best friend, Endymion. Who carried you to my cottage." Beryl smirked. "He was the hero that day and you were instantly smitten with him."

"Prince Endymion..." Serenity spoke in a hushed whisper, full of reverence. As more pieces fell into place in her still scattered mind. Daiki had called himself Endymion...he had always believed he was so much more then a mobster's grandson. Perhaps he had been her ancient prince? Perhaps she had fallen in love with the wrong man in this life time? The confusion of doubt and betrayal spun in her mind like a maelstrom. As she struggled to find some clarity with her ancient memories and what she could lay claim to now in this life.

"You were a wet, dirty mess. Utterly exhausted and half-starved. What remained of your pretty silk dress was so weather beaten it looked like grey rags. I couldn't believe such a regal maiden existed under all that grime." Beryl was reviewing her own memories fondly now. "But I washed you up, fed you and put you in one of my simple cotton night gowns. You lived with me outside of that village for nearly a month before Endymion returned to claim you." Her voice lowered and became slightly venomous.

"My mother was furious I had snuck away from the Palace. Had spitefully confronted the taboo by descending to earth." Serenity bit her bottom lip, desperately trying to get a clear image of what she looked like. All that was left of her memories of her Goddess Mother was feelings, raw and intense. Invoking nervous butterflies deep in her stomach, that she had both loved and feared that woman.

"Your Senshi had come to Earth in search of you. They had scoured the four outer kingdoms, discretely enlisting the aid of the Four Heavenly Kings. Who in turn had led them to the Golden Palace, to beseech Endymion's aid. Endymion recognized you from their description and was eager to return you. Not wanting to encure the wrath of your mother and hoping for recompense for his kingdom for caring and harbouring you." Beryl sighed, shaking her head and smirking. "He cared deeply for Elysian, but not enough to save it. When your life was threatened in the end. He abandoned us all to our fate. "

"How did I betray you?" Serenity couldn't remember, she just felt so full of rage at some faint injustice from the long past.

"You stole him from me! You selfish bitch!" Beryl shouted. "He was all I had!" She was in anguished tears, her face red with fury.

"Who!" Serenity bellowed back, her heart pounding in her ears. Her body trembling with restrained hate and fury at Beryl's accusations. She could guess who, but she wanted Beryl to admit it.

"Endymion!" She ignited her energy discs once more and charged. The cold fury in her eyes that had been burning for thousands of years was finally rekindled.

Serenity cocked her arm and threw the knife like a dagger. Catching Beryl in the right shoulder, slicing cleanly through the muscle and ricocheting off the bone. The knife clattered to the floor, as Beryl howled in pain clutching her shoulder as it spouted blood, drenching the front of her once pretty sundress a dark copper. By the time she gathered her senses to continue her pursuit, Serenity was gone. The simple, unassuming door at the back of the kitchen lay open. Revealing a dark, shadowy stairwell that led down into the subbasement.

"Leading me down to the training pods are we?" She growled, hunching forward to staunch the wound with her hand.

While she jogged after Serenity into the darkness.

The air was full of alarming smells, his senses heightened and more acute in this new body. Helio's snuffed as an acidic taint, thick in the air, burned his nostrils, making them flare. Raising his awareness of impending threat, he tossed his head impatiently. He wanted to get as far away from the mansion as he could, now that Rini was safe. They had retreated to a grove of trees, across from the country road that crossed in front of the estate. Hiding in the tall grass, out of sight in the early morning shadows beneath the canopy of trees. It had been over a day since the mansion had gone up in flames, still Rini refused to leave. Standing vigil over the estate, stubbornly waiting for some kind of closure.

He had lost his mind briefly after the change, but the sound of her terrorfied screams had awoken his rational mind once again. He had charged around the outer courtyard of the Mansion, his larger more powerful heart pounding against his ribs. Sending blood at incredible speed to all his muscles, which were stretching and straining to maintain his mighty pace. His hooves churning up the damp grass, sending clumps skyward. Stampeding through hedges, trampling flowerbeds in an all out frenzy to track her down. He may be in the body of an animal, but he still laid claim to the mind and soul of a young man. A young man just brutally realizing that a silly strawberry blonde girl. Who annoyed him, frustrated him beyond belief some times. Who brought out the best in him, made him smile and laugh with all of his heart. Who literally tried to occupy every moment with him. Since he had found refuge in Ido's care. Had become his best friend, his confidant and the only person in this world he trusted. She had become the most important person in his life and he couldn't lose her!

With out knowing it, with out really trying he had fallen hopelessly in love with her...

With that heartfelt clarity ringing in his head, he propelled his equine body through the stained glass window. Exploding through the glass of Setsuna's study, sending shards of fine crystal to rain down upon the tragic scene, carrying out within. Finding Rini frozen in terror with Hotaru poised to strike from the doorway. A glowing dark shot of energy bursting from her pointing finger, it's once incredible speed slowing to a crawl. As the air grew leaden and deathly cold, Setsuna had jumped from the couch she had been resting on. Pushing through her own Genesis reaction, urging her body beyond it's limits, moving at her normal speed towards Hotaru in quick easy strides.

Helio's reared, but his movements were sluggish as if pushing through heavy sand. He had intended to lunge in front of Rini and take the energy bolt in her stead. But Setsuna had taken control in the last instant. Freezing everyone in that single fatal moment.

The mysterious Soldier of Time wrapped her arms around Hotaru, swinging the girl around and holding her firmly right in front of her own energy charge. They both blocked Rini, who's startled and frightened visage was now protected. The teens arms still crossed patheticly over her face to shield herself from Hotaru's deadly strike. As Setsuna's heart struggled to keep beating, her control faltered as time resumed. Hotaru stood for only a heartbeat in Setsuna's grasp. Her dark, expressionless gaze focused on the Soldier of Time. The only reaction the fated teen paid to her death, was her crazed eyes, widening just slightly in surprise before her bolt impacted with her forehead. It struck her dead centre between her eyes. Her head snapped back by the force of the shot as she crumple dead in the older woman's arms. Setsuna passed Rini a weak, if grim smile before she succumbed to her Genesis. Her heart trembled once more in her chest then fell silent. She had no time to reevaluate her sacrifice as her life ended, but felt she died proudly saving the life of an innocent girl. Who deserved to full and happy life. Rini's breath hitched in her throat as she watched Setsuna fall, boneless to the floor. Her arms still entwined around Hotaru's shoulders. Staring down at her killer and saviour, in wide eyed disbelief.

It took only seconds for Helios to charged in front of Rini. Lowering his front hooves so she could climb on. Rini blinked uncertainly for a moment, clearing away the trauma of the last few minutes to focus on Helios. Then she leaped upon his back as he jumped Setsuna's desk and bolted back out the shattered window.

Leaving Hotaru and Setsuna's gravesite, in a state of frozen shock. She never uttering a single sound for hours to come.

Since then Helios had been watching Rini carefully, as if any sudden movement on his part would shattered her completely. She had been shivering ever since their escape, her arms wrapped tight around her stomach, which he knew was roiling with grief and horror. She cast a small, lithe shadow. Standing at the rise of a clearing that overlooked the front gates. Staring down at the twisted black iron gates of the Mansion unblinking, taking it all in. Reviewing the last several hours in a detached, clinical sorta way. Unwilling to face the storm of emotions raging at the far corners of her mind.

Her pink hoody was unzipped, the rich summer wind, snapping the hem around her waist. The leotard that hugged her immature chest was smudged with soot, the once brilliant white now a tarnished grey. Her ripped jeans now stained and thread bare, the knees torn out even more. The loose threads twisting in the gusts of wind. Her hair loosened from her twin buns, flying in wild disarray over her hunched shoulder's.

When the first rays of the sun crested over the hills, its warmth falling over them both. He noticed how she shivered instead. The sun offered her no comfort, her body remained pale and chilled. Suffering from shock, as she was still reeling from the events of last night.

"What the hell is going on..." She muttered, her haunted brown eyes narrowing as she watched a woman wrapped up in a long brown trench coat and fedora slip through the broken gates. She could faintly see wisps of golden blonde hair beneath the vintage hat. But it wasn't enough to make a clear visual as to who it was.

(Looks like some undercover spy?) Helio's mussed, his voice echoing in Rini's mind.

Rini blinked and rolled her shoulder's nervously, hearing him talk to her telepathicly was still very unnerving. It was like he was invading her very soul. She wondered briefly if he could talk this way with anyone before the change or if they shared some special intimate connection because he was no longer human. She hoped for the later. She liked the idea of having a secret communication with Helios. It made her feel special, in the romantic sense, not in the freaky added Genesis power sense.

She made shaky steps forward, unsure if she was committed to reenter the gutted mansion just yet.

(You are not going back in there.) Helios warned in her mind, nudging her shoulder with his long nose.

She waved him off, irritated by his command. He had been like a clucking mother hen ever since rescuing her from Hotaru. Not letting her out of his sight and keeping her contained inside the tree line, by pacing in front of her, nipping at her clothes, what ever it took to hold her back. It had taken hours just to encroach forward this much, to survey the damage from Beryl's fire.

The soft crunching of gravel alerted Helios and his pointed ears swivelled to the west, turning his head, his sharp blue eyes caught sight of another young woman. With short dusty blonde hair, in a boy's typical boy's haircut, tossing in the wind. Her clothes looked deeply wrinkled, her shirt hung in shreds over a shoulder and down to her waist. She walked with a robotic stride, her eyes never really seeing the disaster that surrounded her. Disappearing through the twisted gates, with a singular purpose.

(Haruka...) Helio's rocked his slender, velvet white muzzle forward, pointing at the woman who's spirit seemed broken?

"She'll end up confronting that spy?" Rini nodded, feeling off the hook now that an adult soldier had shown up. Settling down on the grass, pulling her knees up to her chest and holding them tightly to try and stave off the chill that had seeped right into her bones. She wasn't leaving till Haruka as safely away, if she needed backup of any kind she wanted to be nearby.

Helios huffed loudly, not liking her stubborn behaviour one bit. He wanted to take off right now!

Within the hour a cherry red Porsche pulled up to the gates, Haruka slipped out with a map and spread it out over the hood. She had changed into clean clothes, but the defeated air about her hung heavy in her slumped shoulder's and slow methodic movements.

"Strange..." Rini mused, doubting that subduing the intruder had been so easy for the Soldier of the Wind.

Then Serenity jogged through the gates in nothing but a dress shirt, her hair was a free flowing mess. Tossing and swirling in the wind when Haruka turned to greet her.

Rini jumped to her feet, ready to dash down the hill and embrace her hero. Needing Serenity's arms to hold her tight, to hear her beautiful voice comfort and soothe all her worries away. But she remained frozen on the hill, amid the tall grass unwilling to disturb their reunion. Watching the tearful encounter between two of her most respected Senpai with a silent

reverence. Swallowing the lump of sadness, as she watched them both cry in each other's arms. Comforting and consoling each other over some shared loss. She couldn't make out the words. But they were sobbing and sharing, which was enough to tell her they had lost someone last night as well. Then it clicked in her mind, Michiru was absent? The mute woman never left Haruka's side when on a mission...she must be the one they were crying over.

Rini slowly bowed her head, mourning Michi...Setsuna...even poor, unstable Hotaru. There had been far to much death last night. Silent tears pooled then fell from her eyes, as she kept her face averted from Helio's. Her voice to raw and shaky to speak, not wanting to answer any silly questions about why she was crying. Thankfully Helios remained staring impassively down at the gates, keeping his peace.

When Haruka charged out of the gates, in the Porsche. Rini merely sat back down on the damp grass. Maintaining her vigil, as Serenity marched into the tree lined lane towards the ruins of the Mansion.

(Rini...lets get the hell out of here.) Helios commanded sternly.

But she remained stead fast, staring down at the gates with a stubborn resolve.

A gentle, eerie howling was in the wind. As if the lost souls of the dead were haunting the grounds around the estate. It creeped him out and made the short hairs along his neck stand at attention. He felt only foreboding and approaching death for them both if they stayed.

Rini remained unmoving, staring at the vacant lane. Watching the tree branches sway and dance in the wind as the minutes crept by. Until a sharp scream pierced the air!

She was up in an instant, dashing down the hill and through the open gates. Not heeding Helio's screams of warning in her head, intent on getting to Serenity's side as fast as she could. She was moving on pure instinct, her heart throbbing with dread. She couldn't loose another person...she couldn't loose Serenity. She meant everything to her!

Serenity held her rising fear in check, as she stumbled through the semi-darkness of yet another nondescript hallway. It was like navigating half blind through some crypt. The pulsing red glow of the emergency lighting embedded in the ceiling only raised the tension she felt consuming her.

As she moved deeper the lights were spaced further apart, leaving her in wide breaks of total darkness. In which she had to feel her way forward, relying only on her memory to find her way to Hotaru's holding chamber, playing a slow agonizing game of elimination when she came upon hollow metal doors. She was soon breathing hard, in sharp, shallow gasps. Her terror constricted throat unwilling to take in air any deeper. She was entering into a claustrophobic panic, the darkness closing in around her. Settling like a suffocating weight upon her chest.

Using the wall as her guide, she crept forward knowing Beryl wasn't far behind. Sensing the woman's hatred and desire to kill her like a poisonous gas crawling towards her from behind. She wanted to lure Beryl into that room and attempt to contain her in Hotaru's status pod. She needed answer's and Beryl wasn't going to just offer them up with out a fight. But if she could get the woman caged, inside that room then perhaps they could talk. But she realized grimly it was going to be like locking herself up in a six by six cell with a ferocious tiger. She may get her answer's but it would cost her...her life.

The hazy memories of her first life, taunted her in the back of her mind. Of all the past lives she had lived that first one still remained stubbornly shrouded in mystery. So many important moments were still forgotten, what Beryl had accused her of felt right? But also she felt that it was unjust, that there was far more to that triangle of love and hate between Endymion and them. She just could not resurrect any clear images from the depths of her memory. It frustrated her, needling her like an itch she couldn't scratch. She wanted desperately to remember it all! But it just wasn't coming...

"I can hear you breathing, Serenity..." Beryl called from the depths of the blackness. Taunting her with a smug certainty that she wasn't going to escape her fate.

Serenity snapped her head around in fear, Beryls voice was way to close! She was running out of time...the hall seemed to long. She needed to reach an intersection and head down an adjacent hall to reach Hotaru's old room. At this rate, she wasn't going to make it.

Picking up her pace, Serenity made it only a couple steps before something caught on her foot. She had no time to react and with a startled yelp she went down sprawling to the floor. Hazy and disorientated, she slowly rose up on all fours. The dull flickering red lighting from inside the doorway of a training room illuminated the hall briefly.

She glanced inside finding it totally destroyed, the pods metal foundation was melted into a puddle upon the floor. Electric blue sparks flickered in the darkness. Illuminating glass shrapnel littering the painted cement room. She

glanced behind her, finding she had tripped on a mangled plain felt and iron office chair. That had one time sat inside that very room.

"Have you seen my recent handy work?" Beryl called ethusiasticly. "You think I didn't take my revenge down in this torture chamber first!" She shouted in rage. "Unlike you, I wasn't Ido's favourite. I spent far more time down here then any of you!"

Serenity covered her mouth, her legs trembling with pent up adrenaline and rising terror. Her plan now completely trashed like all of the training pods in the sub basement. She figured even Hotaru's containment pod hadn't survived Beryl's wrath.

She had no idea what she was going to do now? She had no way to contain her or stop her from draining her life away. Traped in this maze of solid darkness, all she could do now was run and hope like hell she managed to avoid Beryl and back track back to the stairs.

Jumping to her feet she darted down the hall in a blind dash to get some much needed distance. She was now feeling as weak and helpless as she did back in Cross roads high. When Beryl was hunting her down then, before she ascended, when she had been only human. She wanted to break down and cry, to scream for Darien to save her. But she was on her own...calling for him would do her no good. It would only give away her location and lead Beryl faster to kill her. A stray, panicky thought crossed her mind. She could even be standing only feet away watching her totally unravel. Enjoying her twisted game of fear. Chocking back the bile now burning her throat, her arms out stretched to catch herself as she slammed blindly into a wall. Finding the very intersection she had been searching for. Now she had to make a choice, which door did she slip into the first or third or sixth..how much time did she have? She made her choice in an instant, she needed to find a place to hide as quickly as possible. Rounding into the very next open doorway she found, fumbling blindly along the inside wall trying desperately to figure out what kind of room she had found. Serenity was silently cursing her own stupidity, she was totally isolated down here, the rooms below ground were sound proof. With the only means of escape, back up those very same stairs. It would be blind luck for Beryl to totally bypass this room. She needed to find somewhere more secure to hide then a smashed up training room?

A dull metal clatter met her palm, the cold steel door vibrating as she tapped it again with her knuckle.

A locker...she was in a storage room. They were few and far between, tiny cleaning closets full of spare parts, supplies and disinfectants. Rubbing her hands up and down the length and berth of the wall of locker's she found one that was slightly ajar. With a shuddering breath she eased herself inside and closed the door. Silently thankful for once that she was petite in stature that even as an adult she could fit snuggly inside the narrow space.

She listened intently as the sound of Beryl's footsteps drew louder, the sour smell of cleaning rags preventing her from breathing properly. She was soon panting as the rustle and clattering sounds of Beryl searching the rooms nearby had her heart skipping. The damn woman was of course meticulously going to search every room down this hall. At this rate she would be found in under ten minutes.

"Damn..." Serenity hissed, leaping from the locker and franticly scrambling her way back out of the room. Darting back down the hall, her arms flailing wildly to catch the open space of the adjacent hall that would eventually lead her back to the short stairwell to freedom.

"Sere...Help!" Minutes later, when the steps lay in her sights. Raye's voice echoed out from the darkness, full of fear and panic.

Serenity stopped instantly, the roaring of her heart falling quiet as she listened. Her love for the raven haired woman causing her to freeze. Needing to be certain it really was Raye...but why was she here...how was she here?

Then she was shoved forward, two hands slammed into her back like hot irons. Burning through the flimsy cotton shirt and blistering the skin of her shoulder blades. Serenity was sent off balance, choking back a scream of pain. Then another shove sent her flying sideways, this time she screamed unable to contain the agony and fear exploding through her. Her head smashed against the bottom stair, stunning her. Blinking and dizzy she tried to make sense of the figure now striding into that narrow shaft of light coming down the stairs from the open kitchen doorway. Long raven black hair framed a very elegant, strikingly beautiful face, that she had known long ago.

"Raye..." She gasped, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. The ringing in her ears caused by the vicious impact with the stairs, distracting her train of thought.

It wasn't until the teens dark, soulful brown eyes came into view inches away from her face, that clarity fell upon her. This wasn't her Raye of today, but the younger version of her. That Beryl had killed back at Crossroads High.

Serenity tried to push herself up to a seated position, tried to keep running. But one of Raye's arms shot out, cutting off

her escape. She brought her other arm up, bracing both above Serenity's head on the upper stairs. Looming over her and trapping her against the floor.

"Did you seriously think I wouldn't find you?" The gloating in Rayes voice and icy smile. Sent shivers down Serenity's spine. "I knew you would stop if I called to you in her pathetic little voice. You are such a selfless fool now? You would actually have gone back and sacrificed yourself for her, to give her a chance to escape...wouldn't you?" Beryl questioned, shaking her head in disappointment.

"I would do it for any of my friends...for any innocent..." Serenity started to explain, only to have Raye back hand her full force across the face.

"NO! You self sacrificing, bitch! Do not start spouting such nonsense! Princess Serenity cares for no one but herself!" Beryl grabbed her by the hair and hauled her kicking and screaming back down the hall. The darkness swallowing them both in moments.

Beryl dragged her back into the first ransacked room down the hall, tossed her in and slammed the door shut behind her.

"You stay right there, I will be right back!" She called in a vile sing song, melting the side of the doorjamb with her finger. Spot wielding the door closed from the outside. Wanting to make the terror last, by leaving her in the darkness to wait for her death come. Eager to enjoy the sounds of panic from inside the sealed chamber.

Serenity lay unmoving in the darkness, staring up at the roof as if she could actually see it in the pitch black void she was in. Listening to her panicked breath puff into the stale air, trying to hold back the tears of pure terror. She could not endure the agony of Beryl draining her life again, ripping all that she was away layer by excruciating layer. She would rather end it herself before Beryl got back.

Licking her lips, tasting the metallic tint of blood from a gash along her bottom lip. A strange thick taste enshrouded the inside of her mouth, both sticky and foul. It was fear, the true taste of raw terror. She was going to spend her last few minutes of this life screaming in pain, helpless and terrorfied.

Images of all the people that she held dear flashed in her mind, as she sought to cleanse her last moments with fond, sweet memories of the times she had spent with them.

Her soul dwelling upon Darien, drowning in regrets that things had turned out this way, yet again. Her most treasured images of him flashing in her minds eye. How passionate, deep and dark his blue eyes got, when they made love. That cocky, lopsided smile he always gave her when they were arguing and he knew he was winning. How solid and safe she had felt in his arms, the soothing comfort that seemed to penetrate her when he was holding her close.

 _Don't give up!_ His voice echoing inside her head, was startling. She slowly drew in a steadying breath, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Trying to reason away the impossible. How could she be hearing Darien inside her head. As if he had invaded her very thoughts.

 _I'm almost there, Sweetness._ He assured her, his voice as clear and strong as if he was standing next to her. Serenity laughed uncertainly, now believing her overwhelming stress had made her delusional.

 _Please try and calm down, your fear is off the charts and I am having a hard time thinking clearly. I need you to hide until I can get to you._ He tried to soothe her, to give her hope that he would save her. That she wasn't about to die in some dark crypt, her body never to be seen again.

That thought had her laughing out loud, a hallow bitter sound that vibrated off the walls. This was pay back for what she had done to Beryl back in China a year ago. She had collapsed the excavation site on top of her, burying her alive inside the queens burial chamber.

An eye for an eye...that was the war she had waged with Beryl. But this time it seemed that vile, conniving woman had won. She had no means of escape, no way to defend herself...what choice did she have but to just lay down and die. The misery of how hopeless it was, fell upon her like a cold shroud. Leaving her shivering in the dark, waiting silently for her fate.

 _Do not give in! Your stronger then this!_ Darien chastised her, his voice stern yet sympathetic.

 _You just need to hide...ok. Just hide._ He offered, sounding bright and positive. As if coaxing a child to agree and try harder at a difficult task.

 **She locked me up in a room, it's a little late for hide and seek.** Serenity finally just went with it, she had lost her mind anyway might as well roll with the insanity.

 **I can't hide and I can't escape. She is going to come back and finish me off at her leisure. Mamo-chan.** She thought sarcasticly, his advice only making her more frustrated. She took several deep breaths before responding to the silence again.

 **I have nothing left...** She sounded so pathetic and resigned. It was humiliating to hear herself give up so completely.

 **I'll have always loved you...from the first moment we met. I knew you were going to become someone truly special to me...my true and only love.** If this was to be her last communication with him, she wanted him to know how deeply she had loved him. **The time I spent with you...was the happiest I have ever felt. Knowing you...loving you. It made my life** **worth living. If this really is goodbye, then I'm ok with it. I have never regretted loving you, Darien. What we had it was precious and I will take what I've learned in this life onto the next.** She laughed but it was a thick anguished sound. **Maybe we will get another chance in that next life to do things right? I'll miss you...my Mamoru.**

He was silent for a long while, absorbing her words of everlasting love...and utter defeat.

 _Then fight! Fight for us!_ He shouted in her mind.

Serenity blinked and clutched her head, his voice had boomed with such conviction it had cause her acute pain.

 _Sere, you need to focus on something else. Your emotions are spiralling downward into a very dark, self-destructive place. I know when you have a hard time dealing, you like to listen to music to help lift your spirits._ Serenity slowly, smiled. _Close your eyes and just listen to me then. Let me help you...find the light again._

She slowly closed her eyes, as she cried soundlessly, tears trailing away down her cheeks. Listening to Darien's voice sing softly to her. I was an old song from the late 90's. A song by Savage Garden she had put on that mix soundtrack she had made for him in high school. She couldn't help but giggle, her heart feeling lighter and more content as he sang. His voice was soft, upbeat and slightly off tune. Wanting only to comfort her and take away her pain.

Like always...

 _'Mayb e it's intuition, b ut somethings you just don't question.'_

 _Like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant, and there it goes_

 _I think I've found my b est friend._

 _know it might sound more then a little crazy, b ut I b elieve'_

 _knew I loved you b efore I met you._

 _must have dreamed you into my life._

 _knew I love you b efore I met you._

 _have b een waiting all my life.'_

His voice fell silent, as the door slammed inward with a resounding clang. Yanking her concentration away from him and back to her terrorfied reality. Snapping her eyes open, to find a floating lamp casting sharp light over the broken debris of the room. Illuminating the darkness in a ghostly half light, allowing her to glimpse the twisted remains of a training pod and the shattered glass scattered across the cement floor.

The shadowed face of Raye, sneered at her from the doorway before a small body was tossed towards her. Serenity sat up quickly and caught the young girl as she collapsed to the floor. Rini was covered in black soot, her skin ashen and eyes staring vacantly up at her.

"She set Helio's on fire..." She whispered brokenly, blinking and swallowing rapidly to keep her vomit down.

"Oh, god..." Serenity choked, the grisly image of the kind, quiet young man set aflame coming unwelcomed into her mind.

"Monster!" She screamed, losing her rational mind and charging for Beryl. Uncaring that if she collided with her, that Beryl would syphon away her life in an instant. She couldn't deal with any more suffering. She needed to be free of it...all of it!

An icy, gloating smile spread over Raye's face before it morphed back into her own.

"I think perhaps you are referring to this person, Princess." Beryl stated, impassively. Totally uncaring about her latest act of brutality.

Serenity came to a sudden stop right before the doorway, as Rini sucked in a frighted breath.

"You know fear like rage is a wonderful thing, it undermines all logic and opens up all sorts of fun opportunities for people like me." Beryl advised in a superior tone.

Serenity stood in shock, as her doppelganger ganger grabbed her arm and jerked her back into the center of the room. In retaliation, she raked her fingernails down the woman's gripping arm, as her inflamed touch seared her skin like a brand.

Then Beryl drove her fist straight into Serenity's stomach.

She grunted as all air was expelled from her lungs and crumpled to the floor, glaring up at Beryl in defiance. Rini screamed, her rising hysteria echoing around them. She was far to scared and traumatized to fight back. Trembling in the ghostly half light from the lantern, rocking back and forth trying to hold herself together.

Then Beryl crouched before Serenity and yanked her harshly back up to a seated position, a flash of metal caught her eye. As Beryl pressed that very same carver's knife she had thrown at her earlier against her neck.

Serenity sat stiffly, staring fearfully down the blade at her own face. Who was glaring back at her with such unbridled loathing it stilled her heart. Over all the lives that they had struggled through. Trapped in an endless round of malice, seeking only to kill each other. Beryl's hatred of her had become a writhing, living thing that had consumed her. Her soul blackened and twisted into this monster, bent only on revenge.

That tempest of negative emotions, slowly coallesing and compounding into this dark psychological trauma, that had finally manifested itself into a pure insanity... that now lived inside of poor Beryl.

Beryl set the camping lamp down beside her, passing Rini who had been adjusting her position a cautionary glare. Finding the young teen, once stricken and close to completely unravelling. Now valiantly, hanging onto that one last shred of sanity. Her anchor a seething hatred, that she now directed towards Beryl in her burning stare. Caught in a half crouch at the very edge of the lamp light.

"Give me a reason to kill you child..." She snarled at Rini. Who froze instantly, her eyes widening in fear. "I caught her, trying to slit my throat up in the kitchen. Looks like the little rabbit thinks along the same lines as you." Beryl shrugged.

Serenity's eyes darted in warning to Rini, wanting the teen to back off. She did not want the guilt of another death on her conscience. She needed to keep Beryl's attention, give Rini time to escape. So she maintained eye contact, tried to look confident and hold her fear under control.

The only way she was going to get Rini out of this was to keep her head...literally.

Serenity shivered as the cold cement chilled her body, the thin dress shirt offering no real protection.

"Who do you work for? The Agency...Black Widow? Why are you doing this? " She countered, acting unafraid of the blade now piercing her flesh. Feeling the sting of the metal and slow, wet trickle of blood now escape her neck.

Beryl cackled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Neither you fool!" Beryl snarled. "The agency has been chasing it own tail for years. Those political idiots are to absorbed in keeping the balance of power between the countries then to kill off rogue Genesis Born. It was my men killing off your kind!" Beryl admitted smugly, the joy of every murder clear in the triumphant gleam of her eyes.

Serenity could only glare with disgust at how horrible she found Beryl's manipulation. The army of human militia believed they were saving the world from dangerous Genesis Born, dieing for a just cause. So that their families back home were safe. They had no clue they were just being used as pawns, by some Genesis born vigilante to suit her own ends.

"Black Widow...she's believes I'm her partner. That we are equals in the domination she has planned." Beryl sighed fondly, "She has no clue that as soon as I get the Silver Crystal under my control. I will use it to wish her out of existence."

"Who is she?" Serenity was desperate for answers, holding herself stiffly so the knife point didn't penetrate any deeper.

"You truly are the most self absorbed, oblivious person I have ever known." Beryl smirked. "While you were happy living your simple life one joy at a time. Basking in all your good fortunes, family, friends, a benefactor who actually loved you! "

Serenity clamped her mouth tight, not wanting to retort how fleeting all that happiness had been. How twisted Ido's supposed parental love had been. Beryl was busy painting some kind of perfect picture life for her, that didn't even resemble what she had actually experienced.

"Pretending to be human. I was never graced with that good fortune. Ido never trusted me, even when I was being loyal...which wasn't for very long." Beryl shrugged, admitting her lack morals easily. "Tomoe gave me a better offer...Power, Soldier's to command. But that got boring fast, so I snuck into the Agency's ranks and hunted you down in the States." Beryl sighed, "But you know all that, huh." She tapped the tip of the knife musingly against Serenity's neck.

Making her gasp sharply as she made more nicks along the nape of her neck.

"Black Widow tracked me down in China, pulled me from that tomb you created for me. I owe her my life but not my loyalty. She has her agenda and I have mine." She smirked knowingly, her smile so sinister it sent vile shivers down Serenity whole body. .

"Does she have my crystal..." Serenity begged.

"For right now...but I think it's time that little bauble had a new master." Beryl gloated, watching smugly as Serenity reigned in her rage. Struggling not to lunge out and wrap her hands around Beryl's neck.

"What is her agenda then...I'm dead anyway so there is no reason not to share?" Serenity ground out through clenched teeth.

"She merely wants to fix the damage you created ten thousand years ago. To reclaim her throne and set this galaxy back on it's proper course. At least thats what she tells me." Beryl laughed. "I on the other hand have other ideas. She needs me to tame the crystal, but I intend to twist it to serve my own purpose. I unfortunately made a deal with a very dark power long ago and I need your crystals energy to protect myself. I do not intend to become anyones weapon ever again!" Beryl looked scared, for once her pompous bravado had fallen aside and Serenity could see how truly frightened she was.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, as a deadly foreboding sank into the pit of her stomach. Making her feel sick.

"You think your all powerful Silver Crystal is the only talisman of it's kind? Unlike you, I have spent my whole life trying to uncover who I really am, why my Genesis State exists. I have studied the Sanskrit scrolls. I know where we came from, what lives in that expanse beyond our solar system and whats coming to destroy us. I know, I was the one who awakened it a long time ago, made a deal with it's darkness to seek my revenge upon you. I was a weak, fool then but this time I intend to be the master of that darkness." The determination in her eyes was intense. "Your crystal is the key to my victory...over everything." Beryl whispered in a vile hiss.

Serenity sucked in a cold breath, realizing that Beryl intended to use the crystal to dominate the whole Universe. She would become some all powerful dictator, that controlled everyone's fate. The thought was beyond frightening.

"Nineteen years ago you synced with the Silver Crystal for the first time in thousands of years. You called upon it's light to give you a second chance at this life. It obeyed and it's power rippled through the universe, it's incredible energy called out to the void. So the darkness that lives in that void will eventually responded back in kind. I intend to be ready for it." Beryl stated.

Serenity was lost, she stared at her in confusion.

"Where did Black Widow go with the crystal?" She asked, not wanting to show her possession over the crystal as it would be dangerous. As Beryl saw things, the crystal didn't belong to her anymore.

Beryl sighed, rolling her eyes and yawning. "Boring me now." She turned towards Rini, casting her a odiously vicious grin. Spinning the knife and tapping it's plastic grip against the girls forehead, pompously. "Are you frightened yet?" She asked mockingly.

Rini had cringed and gone stiff, thinking Beryl had intended on ramming the blade through her skull.

"What do you want with me?" Serenity questioned in a panic, needing to draw her attention back from Rini. "You have taken everything from me. I have nothing else to give you." She fought to keep the quiver from her voice.

"Honestly, you being alive is a liability to my plans." She sighed, training the blade back upon the tender skin of her neck. "But mostly, I just really enjoyed killing you last time." then shrugged, but it was a rigid movement devoid of any feelings. " You were delicious like a rich, exotic dish that I can't wait to taste again. I didn't have time to relish absorbing you but this time I intend to take my time." She let out a long, sigh of delight. Smiling eagerly down at her, as if she really was some kind of tasty treat she couldn't wait to consume.

Serenity whimpered, the flimsy grip she had on her fear now loosening considerably. She suddenly felt dizzy, all the knots in her muscles that held her body up growing slack. Her eyes drifted out of focus, the edges of her vision blurred, all detail of Beryl's smug face melting away. As all blood drained from her face, pooling somewhere near her toes. She felt herself start to faint, slipping sideways in Beryl's grasp. She couldn't endure that defilement again, the horror of what was to come in the next couple seconds overwhelmed her. She was going catatonic...

"Hey, now...stay with me!" Beryl slapped her cheek harshly. "It's going to be no fun, if you check out early."

Bright pink sparks ignited beside them, Beryl shot her eyes towards Rini. Who was now crouched inches away, light snapping and exploding from her palms. She glared at Beryl with a determination that defied her young age.

"Let Serenity go!" She commanded, cocking her arms preparing to cast her powers.

"Your pathetic little light show upstairs didn't harm me, what makes you think the outcome down here will be any different?" Beryl gloated.

Rini set her jaw tight, blinking away her fear and threw all caution to the wind. The intense need to save her most treasured person, spurning her to act far braver then she ever had before.

"No!" Serenity screamed, as Rini let fly her barrage of flash bombs.

Beryl ignited a silver disc from her right hand, sending the disc with frightening speed at Rini.

The teen cried out in surprise, barely having enough time to grip Serenity's arm before the energy disc tore threw her stomach. She had wanted to use her sparks as a cover to escape with Serenity. But tragically the blinding flares weren't able to subdue Beryl long enough.

Serenity jerked away from the knife, causing the blade to knick the soft skin under her chin.

"Rini!" She cried, crawling over to the teen who was now curled up in a ball. Clutching her belly, as a pool of blood formed around her.

"I was hoping to play with her some more." Beryl pouted, sitting back on her heels. Giving Serenity a few moments to mourn her little fan girl as she bled out upon the cement.

Serenity fluttered her hands over Rini's pale skin, pressing her palms against her cold cheeks. "I got this...I got this..." She couldn't push her voice above a whisper, so over come with grief she could barely think straight. Fumbling in her bra for the golden crystal, she sought to heal Rini before she slipped away. A trickle of sweat crept down her back, as Rini began to shiver and fall into shock.

"I'm sorry, Serenity...I was always kinda weak." Rini moaned, her eyelids growing to heavy to remain open. They fluttered closed, as Serenity press the golden bead against her small chest. Willing the power to surge forth, but nothing happened.

"No..." Serenity breathed, pressing the crystal harder against the gore upon Rini's stomach. Desperate to get any kind of reaction from the now inert stone. Blood oozed over her hand, sticky and hot. Making her own stomach flip in horror.

"Please...no...please just this one last time...I need you to work." She begged and pleaded, choking back sobs as Rini's chest began to slow and she fell unconscious. Her thoughts were a tempest, why had it worked before but not now when she needed it most! It was the only source of power she had left and it wasn't obeying her commands.

Beryls sighed in impatience, "This could have been avoided, if you would have just stayed dead to begin with. But I see it was Endymion's crystal who interceded on your behalf."

"How do you know all this?" Serenity refused to give up on Rini, closing her eyes and urging all of her strength into the crystal. When it remained cold in her hand she moaned in frustration.

"When I absorbed you, it awakened all my memories. My first life was a troubled one, that only led to more misery thanks to you. Born to the peasant class, I never had much of a chance at happiness to begin with. My father was a simple woodsmen. With a weakness for gambling and ale, to ease the winter boredom. He was kind of a bastard actually, but he was the only protection we had. When he ended up getting himself killed over a measly thirty quid. My mother, little sister's and I were left to fend for ourselves. My mother tried to support us with what the small farmyard could produce. But it wasn't enough to pay the taxes and put food on the table. I was just a kid, so I wasn't much of a hunter then so I couldn't really help ease my mother's burdens. By winter we were starving, so my poor mother sought work in a nearby city. Leaving me in charge to care for my sister's. She would be gone for weeks on end, but would always return with a decent sized bag of coin. When it ran out, she would leave again. I was to young to understand what kind of work paid so well, so quickly. But I wasn't ignorant for long. By spring my mother's whoring had caught up to her and she had slept with the wrong rich man. His wife sought revenge for his infidelity, and sent a group of mercenaries in the guise of thieves to burn down our cottage. My mother managed to pull me out of the wreckage alive, but my two younger sister's weren't as lucky. We sought refuge in the neighbouring kingdom of Elysian. As refugee's we were seen as outcasts and had to live in a run down hovel just outside of the village. It turned out to be an even harder life, but at least we weren't being hunted anymore. My mother found work as a maid at the Lords castle, were I befriended my only true love. Those were the happiest years of my life! When it was just me and Endy...then you showed up and ruined everything!" She shouted with malice, snarling and lunging for Serenity seeking her recompense. Serenity had been listening, her heart breaking at the cruel tale, tears streaming down her face for the tormented soul Beryl had become. Franticly trying to get the golden crystal to work, while trying to reason why she was to blame for this curse of reliving this tragic karma over and over again?

"That crystal belongs to Prince Endymion! It is his birthright to wield!" Beryl grappled for the crystal in Serenity's hand, "I won't let your filthy hands taint it!" Then she screamed viciously in sudden pain.

Serenity snapped her head back to Beryl, wrenching the crystal free from her clawing finger's. Finding her mirror image, clutching at the point of a sharp stem protruding from her chest. The rest of the rose jutted out between her shoulder' blades, having pierced her heart from behind. Serenity's eyes shot up over Beryl's head to find Darien glowering in the doorway. Dressed in jeans and a tight white t-shirt.

He was a fierce and powerful sight, radiating a palpable energy of unrivalled rage.

"Darien!" Serenity wailed, as profound relief washed over her. Wanting nothing more then to run into his arms and finally feel secure again. But Rini's dire condition kept her frozen at her side, she needed to save her.

Darien took a couple steps closer, moving easily into the circle of demi-light the lamp cast. He held his body tight, restraining the full weight of his fury. His eyes burning towards Beryl with a murderous rage, as thorny vines grew out from the penetrating stem at her back, twisting and binding her arms to her sides.

"You drugged me! Took advantage of me! Forced me to hurt my beloved, Sere. " He shouted at her, balling his hands into fists. Seething with his rage, unwilling to admit he had been raped.

Serenity gasped in horror, finding out her beloved had suffered the same humiliation and helpless victimization as she had. It tore at her heart and shamed her for how righteously she had acted back at the park. He had needed her forgiveness then, instead she caused him more pain. She had been totally self involved in her own issues to notice how shattered he truly was.

"Oh, god...Mamo-chan.." She sobbed, silent tears of remorse falling down her cheeks.

Beryl snarled like a wounded animal, rolling away into the concealing darkness. The soft sounds of the vines rustling against her skin, continuing to grow, constricting her body and keeping her restrained.

Darien kept a wary eye on the heavy shadows that encroached all around them.

"Lets go..." he beckoned.

"No...Rini..." Serenity refused to budge, turning back bleakly to Rini's cooling body. "I can't lose her."

She whimpered, clutching the crystal tightly in her slick palm.

"Ok...what do we do?" Darien glanced down at her hand, wondering what she was holding.

Serenity sighed and slowly uncurled her fingers revealing the golden bead nestled within.

"This crystal was given to me by Daiki...Endymion when he died. It saved my life...brought me back by healing me completely." She confessed. "I was able to heal Tiger's stab wound but now it won't work for me."

Darien held her eyes for a moment before he stared down at the golden crystal. It flashed in her palm, as if answering some silent call from him. Serenity breathed in steady shallow pants, feeling the crystal coming alive in her hand. It hummed into the very fabric of the universe, seeking to reconnect with it's master.

The world exploded into an abyss of pure gold in his vision. Darien could hear his own voice howling in rage. Hear his feet scrambling in a dead run, his boots resounding upon solid stone. The burning in his lungs as he pushed himself beyond his physical limits. He had ran like this before...countless times before...at this ungodly speed to reach Serenity's

side when she was near death. He had just endured that very same body breaking sprint to reach her in the mansion.

Leaving Tiger out at the main gates on the bike, trying to coral a living torch of horse flesh.

 _The b lur of stone pillars that surrounded him were very familiar. Recollecting that he had b een fighting none stop for days in this first life. The unb earab le grief of watching his kingdom b urn still a fresh wound upon his soul. He had made the choice...his princess over his people._

 _Now he was racing through the open corridor's of the White Moon Palace trying to get to her side b efore it all ended. Ignoring his exhaustion and lack of sleep. His muscles straining under the weight of his full plate mail, he urged his b ody past he b reaking point. His armour covered in the b lood of the fallen. Having killed every palace guard who had stood in his way. Now clamb ering to the top of a massive stone dais the overlooked the once lush and b eautiful inner courtyard of the Palace. He saw her standing defiantly amid the b lackened, b urnt fauna of that garden. Her elegant white silk dress standing out b rilliantly against the dark contrast of the destruction that surrounded her. Her palace was in ruins, gutted b y fire and b roken and pillaged b y invaders from his own kingdom._

 _Now she was facing her mother's wrath with unparalleled determination on her face. The silver haired queen stood upon the lip of a white stone foundation that cradled a massive crystal pillar. That rose up into the night sky, like a great monolith. The stars that could b e glimpsed through the crackling tongues of flame now consuming the Palace, slowly b egan to wink out into total darkness. The entire universe was dieing..._

 _Queen Serenity's arms were outstretched over her head, the Imperium Silver Crystal spinning under her control b etween her palms. The golden crescent flaring to life upon her b row, just as her daughter's goddess-hood came to life upon her own. The b roken b odies of six of her Guardian's, still in full b attle dress lay scattered over the courtyard. Having sacrificed their lives defending their princess from their Queen._

 _"No!" He screamed, he had to stop this! Then he saw her, lurking in the shadows. Leaning smugly against a pillar in the nearb y colonnade. With her arms crossed over her ample b reasts, her voluptuous b ody now sheathed in a dark lavender gown far richer then she deserved. Her reddish b rown hair flowing over her b are shoulder's, a deadly looking ob sidian crown adorning her head, with a b lood red jewel in it center glowing proudly._

 _Her once plain, yet kind face now twisted into a sneer of vile enjoyment at the pain and suffering she had wrought_

 _b etween the two kingdoms. Narrowing his eyes to clear his vision from the sting of smoke fumes. He glimpsed a shadow hovering over her, certain now that it wasn't a trick of the light from the nearb y inferno. It was shaking with a malicious laughter at all their expense, goading him for a fool. He knew that sinister aura, it was the all consuming demon from his vision. Who had risen up to devour him, after he had watched his kingdom's ultimate destruction._

 _Wrath exploded through him at his b est friends b etrayal. She had sold her soul to this demon for power, for a dark throne of her own. She had b etrayed him and his people for her own personal gain. He had b een warned countless times that she was at the heart of this conflict, manipulating the hearts of his people. Pitting his kingdom against her's, wedging a spike of distrust b etween the Princess and the Queen. Using her princess' loyalty and love for Prince Endymion as the catalyst to this stand off. He hadn't b elieved she could b e so vicious, so vindictive. He had defended her against all accusations. He had left his own guards b ehind on earth as his kingdom fell, sacrificing their lives to aid in his successful retreat to the Moon. To find out she had b een at the core of this war, all the lives that had b een lost b ecause of her jealousy and hate. Her inab ility to concede to his wishes, to accept that he could not love her as she wanted. It had driven her to b ecome this unspeakab le monster. With b oth hands gripping the hilt of his sword, he lunged down the stairs b ellowing a war cry of vengeance._

 _Then a warmth like nothing he had felt b efore flooded through him. Igniting his soul like a flare, drawing him b ack from his fury to kill. Calming his rage and soothing the ache of humiliation and b etrayal with memories of a kinder, more trusting time. With a young girl who had suffered far to much b efore finding safety in the Golden Kingdom. A troub led, somewhat shy girl who had needed him so desperately. She had always strove so hard to b ecome something more then a mere peasant. She had dreams and aspirations that far out reach her potential. He had always seen that drive as something inspiring. He had taken her in like a fledgling lamb , educating her, proudly sponsor's all her amb itions. Caring for her in countless ways. His friendship had strengthened her and she had b loomed under his guidance and protection into a b eautiful, strong hearted maiden. But the friendship had never b een an equal one. He was the heir to the throne, educated, worldly and superior in every way over her. She was happy enough with the way things were. She never complained, content to b e his playmate in all aspects as they grew up. As her feelings of gratitude turned to love, his sadly remained the same. When he had arrived home after six long years apart. He had felt that perhaps he might love her, b ut those feelings were muttled in nostalgia. She represented his homeland, his love for a time when his life had b een simpler. A certain clarity had fallen over him, after the excitement of b eing home and making love for the first time to a woman had worn off. She was his b est friend, his confidante and now his lover. But he could only see her as a simple commoner. A loyal confidant and secret lover that he used to help let of steam. Her cottage in the forest a hideaway from his duties when he needed a b reak from the pressure of having to rule Elysian._

 _Nothing more would come of their relationship. And she never complained...until the young goddess fell from the heavens and inevitab ly everything changed._

 _Then all of his other lives paraded through his mind, showing him in perfect clarity how his soul was connected to these two waring women. How again and again his soul would find his princess and their fated love would spiral towards its final destruction. A cruel unyielding round of jealousy, b etrayal, vengeance and death to which none within their courts was spared._

Darien snapped back to reality, finding the golden crystal now burning as bright as a new born star in his own palm. He squinted in pain as it seared his eyes. Serenity sat before him, her eyes wide in awe of the transformation that had just taken place. He crouched before her, in full plate armour a blood red cape hanging from his shoulder guards. A silver girdle adorning his crotch with a ornate silver sword at his hip. With a wide heavy girth that tapered to a lethal edge, the hilt bound in black leather with curving gold arm guards. It was the weapon of royalty, used to exact a divine justice upon his enemies or a merciful end to the dieing. His pressence now regal and commanding, even if his face was slack with utter shock.

Rini lay sprawled at his feet, the golden glow fading from her body. Leaving her healed and breathing deeply.

"Prince Endymion..." Beryls voice whispered pleadingly from the darkness. She had sensed a familiar aura about him, the kindness in his smile, the pride mirrored in his eyes. The way he carried himself, so self assured and always in control. The inexplicable power he had to silently force her submission with a mere kiss. She knew within one afternoon that she loved him, it wasn't a coincidence. He was her true and only love, reincarnated. She shut her eyes, as a tear slipped out. Unwilling to accept the brutal irony of it all. Even in this life she hadn't had a chance, he was in love with his princess before she even entered the scene. She consoled herself with impossible fantasy's. If only she had known back when he was in high school. Then perhaps she could have had a chance to win his love, wrestle his heart away from Serena. She had been such a whiny, childish girl back then. She would have never measured up against a sophisticated adult as herself. She could have easily seduced him...then?

Her mind wandered to the pleasurable morning they shared and she began to laugh bitterly. She had had him...his body at least but it hadn't been willingly. Just once in all these wretched lives she had been forced to live. Couldn't he choose her just once...

Her laughter turned to gut wrenching sobs, overwhelmed by the hopelessness of her karma. She had been bleeding out from the stab wound to her heart for some time. Her body felt so very tired, cold and she was starting to tremble violently as she succumbed to shock.

"Endymion..." Serenity breathed, staring completely captivated up at him. The tattered threads of her memories that concerned him were still vague but the overflowing emotions from her heart was undeniable. He meant everything to her and his pressence hadn't been seen in thousands of years.

He reached over to her with shaking hands, cupping her cheeks and holding her firmly. As if this moment of recognition would be fleeting. If he didn't touch her, keep her grounded next to him, she would slip away from his grasp like a ghost.

"Princess..." He gasped, tears welling in his eyes. His stare penetrating her's with such a passionate longing it stilled her breath and made her heart race faster. Her excitement grew as he enveloped her into his arms, holding her against the cold metal of his chest plate.

"I've found you...oh my god...after all these long years. I can finally hold you in my arms again." He wept into her hair, while Serenity, though crying herself was not sharing fully in his reunion. Sensing only the overwhelming joy that filled him and responding to it. The dark shroud of loss and regret lifting from his soul. She did not remember him as clearly as he seemed to remember her. She loved him...as Darien. She really did not know this Prince now weeping in deep sobs against her head. She held him just as tightly, if awkwardly. Wondering bleakly if Darien had been killed during the Prince's ascendance? That thought only thickened the lump in her throat, her heart dreading that perhaps she may never see Darien again.

Those bleak emotions trembled through her and she knew her tears were not ones of joy at seeing her prince again, but of loss. Overwhelmed with sorrow that she may never see her true love again.

She had wished to let him go, selfishly feeling that was the only way to avoid further pain and the inevitable destruction of everyone she loved. But this...she didn't want this...she didn't want him not to exist anymore! She couldn't contain the convulsing sobs now shaking her body.

Which only made him hold her more tightly.

Beryl watched them embrace from the shadows, her insides twisting into knots, her heart shredded yet again at the sight of them so deeply in love. While she was cast aside like she didn't matter. While that selfish, self-centred princess got to have the warmth of his arms around her. She was left struggling in the strangling embrace of his hate filled vines. The thorn's digging into her flesh, tearing into her body seeking to kill her. Yet, insanely she found comfort in the pain because the thorns belonged to Endymion. The hate that manifested them was pure and all for her. A strange disconnect in her mind, allocating his act of offering her this painful embrace as a form of affection. The vines wrapped around her to tightly, like steel bands. Pressing against her flesh, constricting her breath just like that first night they had made love. She smiled seeking to enjoy the last few moments of this searing torture before death claimed her.

"Ser...Serenity..." A weak, mewling voice floated up from the floor.

Serenity spun out of Endymion's embrace to gather Rini into her arms. Tears still streaming down her face, a grateful smile pulling upon her lips. She lightly brushed stray strands of strawberry blond hair out of her face, tucking them motherly behind her ears.

"You are going to be ok..now." She stated, her voice quavering with relief. "You are going to be just fine."

Prince Endymion gathered himself from the floor, drawing his sword as he stalked towards Beryl. Levelling the blade towards her face. He glared down at her, with such loathing in his eyes. The heat of his gaze searing into her, bring a new level of pain upon her hurt spirit.

Beryl shuddered and closed her eyes, unable to withstand the uncompromising hatred he directed towards her. She sought to hide from him in the only way she could. Casting his condemnation into the darkness behind her eyelids.

"I will not allow you to wear her beautiful face as you die!" He snarled. "I command you to reveal your true self...witch!"

Beryl nodded mutely, yielding to him as always. In her weakened state, she was unable to fight his demands. She loved him, would do anything to please him. If only...If only...

"As you wish M'lord." She supplicated before his indomitable will. As Serenity's persona melted away, her exotic asian features took hold. Her blonde strands darkening into a curtain of curly brunette hair. Still dressed in the torn threads of Serenity's sundress, what could be seen through the strangling vines of the sweet design of pale blue with it's white apron front. Looked appallingly inappropriate for such a matured woman to wear. The bodice strained against her ample breasts, her hips tight against the more slender waistline. The hem was far to short in the skirt now that she back to her normal height.

Endymion's released a heavy sigh, at the disconcerting sight of the cruel hearted Beryl in such an innocent, school girls style of dress. Looking far to erotic and skimpy, inciting a primal lust that disgusted him. She had been his lover once, but the desire for her had wilted when he found true love. He stared down at her now with a cold detachment, having given up on her souls inherent goodness many lifetimes ago.

"Why,..." Beryl whimpered, squeezing her eyes tightly closed. Knowing the answer already, having asked this very same question many times before. The answer she knew bitterly would remain the same. When he didn't respond right away as she expected, she cracked her eyes open to find him crouched before her. Deathly still, except for the hum of his over powering feelings of loathing rippling just under his skin.

"You sold your soul to a devil." He stated, straightening to his full height once again. Standing over her with the accusing air of a judge.

Beryl laughed softly, it was an anguished sound of utter defeat. Allowing her head to slump against the cold cement, the chill of the floor seeping into her pale cheek. Unable to deny that she had chosen that dark path of revenge, swearing fealty to a creature of pure evil. Who's hunger to consume the holy light of the Silver Crystal and all it's bearer's had ultimately destroyed everything. She was to blame as much as the Princess, of how horrible things had turned out for them in the future.

"That devil knows the light he seeks is alive again. He will be coming back to finish the war I started, to consume everything again." Beryl's words were barely a whisper, yet they resounded like a prophecy of doom.

Endymion's jaw worked, clenching and unclenching as he fought to contain his anger.

"Beryl..." Serenity crept up to her, "Who is Black Widow?" she asked again, not getting a proper answer before.

Beryl couldn't meet her eyes, staring blankly down at a crack in the cement a few inches away.

"She is your one, true mother. Queen Serenity of the White Moon Kingdom." She choked out, as her breath began to rattle in her chest.

Serenity was silent of a moment, gathering her thoughts. She held only feelings of fear and caution in concerns to her Goddess mother, she had now real memories of the woman. So she confronted Beryl again with a clinical air. "What is she planning?" Serenity leaned in close to Beryl's face, wanting her to look up and acknowledge her fear. Needing a clear answer this time.

"She wants her kingdom back, she is building an army to conquer this world." Beryl groaned, cringing as a sharp pain sliced through her. The thorns were pressed so tight against her body, they were literally sawing her apart.

"I need to get my crystal back...where did she go?" Serenity pleaded.

"All your answer's lie with the Sleeper. I told him everything." Beryl gasped, struggling to take in air as her lungs began to fail.

"Sleeper?" Serenity cast Endymion a confused look.

"When Black Widow released me, she mentioned the Sleeper. That I had to save him...I think she was referring to your brother." Endymion nodded, recollecting Darien's recent memories as he sheathed his sword. There was no need for it any longer, as Beryl was slowly falling still. Her life ebbing away.

"Oh, God...Shingo! I totally forgot about him." Serenity grimaced and held herself tightly, all of Beryl's cruel words of being selfish and self centered hitting home. She was an absolutely terrible sister, she had no idea if he was alive or dead? She had no memories of even running into him? A crushing guilt fell upon her heart.

"Things have been a little crazy for you since the Arena, Serenity." Endymion advised with a pained smirk, seeing how stricken she looked and wanting to ease her guilt.

Serenity sucked in a gasping breath, that lopsided smile so full of empathy reminded her of Darien. It was startling and so painful to see, she quickly looked away from him. Unable to bear the sight of even a fragment of her true love in a stranger's facade. Even though Endymion wore Darien's face, his soul was now residing in her loves body. He wasn't truly Darien any longer.

"Please...Princess...Please don't let me become a monster again." Beryl begged, quietly. Her voice barely above a whisper.

Serenity turned in sorrow to meet the fading life in Beryl's emerald eyes. "Forgive me...Love me...again." She choked, her breath rattling faintly in her chest before she died. The vines finally loosened and release her body, curling back into the stem of the killing rose, before it to merely faded away.

Endymion exhaled, holding himself in check refusing to shed a single tear for her.

Serenity broke down into anguished sobs, nodding and brushing her fingertips tenderly down Beryl's cheek. Her pure soul still able to forgive Beryl. Understanding the woman's tortured spirit, which was a trait they both shared. Beryl had been suffering for thousands of years just as she had.

"I promise...when we meet again. I shall save you, this time." Serenity promised, wiping at her tears fiercely. Not wanting to cry anymore. She had cried far to much over the last few days.

A silver light engulfed Beryl's body, causing Serenity to scuttle backwards in alarm. Endymion narrowed his eyes in scrutiny. His hand straying to the hilt of his sword, as the light trickled off Beryl's corpse like liquid silver. Glowing like holy fire, it crackled and sparked across the floor towards Rini's prone body. The teen cried out in pain, her back arching as massive convulsions began shaking her. The power within the light invading her very soul, far greater then any power she had ever experienced. Her eyes snapped open, full of fear and agony as this mighty power bonded to her soul. Her once warm brown eyes, glowing a fierce some silver as two energy disc's flared to life in her palms momentarily. Then she slumped back against the cold floor unconscious.

"My Genesis..." Serenity gasped, staring in horror at Rini. As tangled knots of confusion gripped her thoughts. Not understanding why her powers had transferred to the young teen and not back into her own body. Why was she to remain, helpless, weak and...human?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: SamSara**

Serenity kept a close eye on Rini, as she trudged through the burnt out halls of the mansion. She moved like a broken marionette, her eyes dull and without any kind of emotion. It seemed like it was a struggle just to keep one foot in front of the other. Serenity hadn't thought she could feel anymore heart break, her heart already shattered into a million pieces at the loss of Darien. Didn't seem capable of feeling anymore pain. Yet the deep penetrating ache in her chest at Rini's silent misery was a testament that she could still feel her heart cracking one last time. She clutched her chest, rubbing idling at the throbbing hurt there. Refusing to cry, even as the edges of her vision blurred with the effort. She needed to be strong for Rini, she had to be the girls rock of support through all this. Clearing her throat softly, she clamped down hard on her own sorrow.

The steady beat of Prince Endymion's heavy metal boots echoed a few paces behind her. She was reluctant to glance back, unwilling to deal with the raging storm of emotions that centered upon him. She kept everything locked up tight in that mental box, needing to stay in control of herself. She could break down later when it was safe to purge the tempest now tearing her apart inside. She had lost her only chance for redemption, there was no way for Darien to forgive her cowardice now. She should have fought for their love and not run away. Now he seemed to far beyond her reach.

"Beryl was at Ido's computer...she was downloading something?" Rini muttered, like Serenity she had turned her emotions off. Shielding all the pain she was feeling behind a mask of stone. Moving through the halls with a singular focus. Trying hard not to dwell upon what might have happened to Helios.

Rini's voice jerked Serenity from her thoughts as they were just crossing into the grand marble foyer. When the front double doors slammed open with a resounding bang. The hinges giving way under the power of the impact of a powerful shoulder.

Tiger charged into the entryway, in a frantic and dishevelled state. His face was soaking wet with perspiration, his flame red hair a fly away mess around his shoulder's. His loose fit jeans smeared with grass stains, along his thighs and butt. The black muscle shirt stained under his armpits with sweat. His legs were coiled to charge down the first hall to the right, when he caught sight of them staring awe struck at him on the far side of the foyer.

He spun in surprise an arm poised to strike out with a large fist, when he realized with a wiry grin that Serenity was alright.

"Damn you girl!" He roared, clearing the distance between them and wrapping her up in his arms tight.

Serenity laughed with relief, crossing her arms around the wild mans neck and fondly holding him close.

Rini stood off to the side of the happy reunion, her arms crossed over her chest barely masking her irritation. Biting her bottom lip fiercely to contain the bitter fury rising to the surface as she discretely walked to the broken front doors.

It was so unfair...

Serenity got to breath easy over her friends, safe return. Yet she was left writhing with anxiety over Helios. The last she saw of him he was charging out of the broken bay window of the breakfast nook in the kitchen. His maine engulfed in flames...she could still smell that sickeningly sour, scent of his hair burning. She gaged and chocked on her tears, twisting away from the cheerful scene and storming across the foyer wanting to put as much distance as she could from Serenity's happiness.

Endymion narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the embrace. Quickly ascertaining if he should be worried about his princess's relationship with Tiger. Quickly determining that her obvious fondness for the man was making him very nervous, he cleared his throat and interceded politely.

Placing a bracing hand on Tiger's shoulder, subtlety letting him know the hug had gone on long enough. Tiger chuckled knowingly and released Serenity back to her feet.

She cast Endymion a confused look, but backed away willingly.

Rini caught the very possessive attitude Endymion had for Serenity. He was silently laying his claim and wanted Tiger to back off. The wild man chuckled knowingly and backed away from her. She wouldn't meet his eyes directly, but when his

back was turned regarding Tiger hard expression. Serenity lingered her gaze upon Endymion, a tortured affection clear in her eyes. They had a sordid history that was more then friends, Rini could easily tell that they had been lovers.

"What happened to the horse?" Endymion asked his voice concerned yet firm. He was a leader of men and his commanding tone was very apparent.

"I lost track of it, over to the East. It had gone totally mad when the fire engulfed it's whole body...I couldn't keep up with it on the bike." Tiger answered sadly. "Nice fashion statement by the way." He smirked, inclining Darien's armour mockingly.

"We got a joust planned for later?" he finished with a smart quip.

Endymion glared dangerously down at him, before marching over to the front doors. Staring off to the east wondering bleakly about the horse.

Rini had stopped at the mouth of the hallway at the far end of the foyer. Her whole body was now chilled to the bone, the ache in her chest now threatening to suffocate her. Glancing down at her hands, braced against the frame of the hallway she took a shuttering breath. She was shaking and all the blood in her body seemed to be pooling somewhere down by her feet. The anxiety she had been feeling before now increased to complete dread. As all hope left her, leaving only the raw understanding that Helios was dead. The grief that surfaced next was like a great cold wave seeking to pull her under. Tear's pricked the corners of her eyes and her legs were trembling violently and she felt to unstable to even take a step forward.

"A horse?" Serenity mulled over the recent events. Placing the pieces together to form a very tragic picture. "Helio's was turned into a horse by Palla." Rini answered, her voice weak and tightly strained. Desperate to control the waver she knew was there.

Serenity instantly rushed to her side. "Oh, Rini..." She grabbed the young woman by her trembling shoulder's, turning her into the comfort of her embrace.

"Where's my bike?" Endy questioned pointedly.

"Wrapped around a giant rock about five miles east of here." Tiger responded with out remorse. Moving towards Rini with purpose, when she mentioned Palla.

Endy whimpered softly, he remembered loving that bike. Now staring off to the east mourning it as well as the poor animal. He wanted to throttle Tiger, but now was not the time to get into it. Turning back he watched Tiger move softly towards the stricken teen. All the rough edges that usually occupied Tiger's cronicly scowling features, smoothed into that of deep concern.

Rini struggled out of Serenity's arms with a sharp cry of frustration. "Let go of me..I'm fine.." She howled. Batting Serenity's reaching arms away and stomping down the hall.

"We got bigger concerns right now, Beryl was up to something and we need to figure out what and stop it!" She demanded, rolling her shoulder's and shivering as if trying to shake off something unpleasant.

Serenity sighed, understanding the emotional torment Rini was under. She felt ready to shatter herself, but far to proud to allow herself to break down right now.

When they reached the broken doorway to the office, Serenity stopped and took a settling breath needing to steel herself again to face Po's corpse. Her time to resurrect her courage was cut short as the howling sounds of the police sirens echoed out from the estates front gates.

"Crap..." Rini snarled from inside the office.

Serenity darted into the blackened ruins of the room, finding Rini now pulling franticly at cords, unhooking the hard drive from its components and the wall. "Hurry!" Serenity called into the room, a panic settling over her.

"I am!" Rini shouted back, from out of view beneath the wooden desk. As Tiger shouldered past Serenity impatiently, snatching the half melted black plastic tower from beneath the desk. The keyboard clattering to the floor and bouncing away angrily into a corner.

"Garage...we are going to need a fast getaway now?" Tiger exploded from the office calling out for directions taking a random hall off from the living room.

Endymion had barely made in to the doorway, before the wild man had dashed back out of the room and darted for the large archway leading to another set of halls. Endymion set his jaw tight, glancing over his shoulder figuring the front door might be faster.

"Tiger this way!" He shouted, for the man to return. His patience running thin, when Tiger's steps faded away deeper into the mansion.

"I'll go get him!" Serenity instructed, dashing off down the hall to fetch their panicked comrade.

Rini huffed loudly, listening with resignation to the sirens growing steadily closer to the mansion.

"I wonder what Juvenile detention is like..." She muttered bitterly, before something caught her eye under the smoke stained remains of the leather sectional couch set in the center of the room. She scrambled on all fours towards the couch and reached underneath up to her elbows. Dragging out a worn, ragged looking light blue jean jacket.

A sob threatened to escape her mouth, but her bit down on the inside of her cheek viciously to contain it. This was Helio's jacket, the absent minded boy had lost it just this spring. He must have kicked it under the couch during one of his video game marathons...

It was all she had left of him, so she quickly donned the jacket over top her pink hoodie. Pulling her pink hood free and shoving it up over her head. Pulling it forward as far as it would go to shadow her silent tears, now falling down her face. Helio's jacket dwarfed her small frame, but she folded the sides closed, holding herself tight as she rushed past Endymion back towards the front door.

"Lets go, Princey...I bet those two will meet us out front." She called out sarcasticly. Hating even more that Serenity's still had the man she loved, but the one boy she had loved was now gone forever.

Endymion rushed after her, as the sound of a horn blared out. Reaching the sagging double doors, that were barely on their hinges anymore. Staring out the front door to find a jet black Cadillac Escalade parked out front. A fully loaded, luxury SUV with silver chrome accents and a shiny paint job that just screamed wealth and prestige. Judging by its more softer aerodynamic body it was a newer model, but still a huge vehicle in all respects.

Rini ran around to the driver's side and scrambled into the back seat. As the tinted front passenger side window rolled down with a hum, showing a very impatient Tiger now scowling at him from the wheel.

"Get you metal ass in the truck, Darien!" He commanded.

"Right..." Endy didn't miss a beat, sliding into the truck easily.

The suspension groaned in protest as his armour added a good hundred pounds on his already overly muscular frame.

The left side of the vehicle plunged a good inch or more, raising the other side slightly.

"You have got to be kidding me..." Tiger growled in disbelief, grabbing the gear shift and slamming it into drive before pressing on the gas. The truck kicked up dust and the tires gripped, lurching forward as it gained speed. Tiger ramped the jeep off the edge of the cobblestone drive, hitting the lawn at a good fifty miles per hour. Endy shouted in alarm, grabbing the granny handle and casting Tiger a warning look. Glancing up at the rear view mirror, wondering how the girls were handling the man's overly reckless driving. He now knew how his poor innocent Harley ended up decorating some random field. Finding a very frightened looking Serenity seated in the leather bench seat behind, holding Rini tightly against her. Neither had time to even buckle up, she had one hand braced against the handle of her seat, her legs pushed up against the back of his seat attempting to keep both of them grounded. As the SUV took flight.

The top of the hedges scrapped against the under carriage as they soared threw the air. Landing hard on the lawn behind, the tires gouging up the grass as Tiger cranked the wheel hard to the left. Taking the vehicle overland heading for the wind break of trees that framed the estate, weaving through a narrow goat trail through the grove. Before rebounding down, then up through the high grass of the ditch and roaring away down the dirt road. The call of the sirens falling away behind them as he raced away deeper into the countryside.

The drive back to Tokyo was silent and far beyond awkward. Tiger tried to ease the tension with bland conversation, getting mild reception from Darien and one word answers from Serenity. He had no idea what was going on, but it looked like the love birds still hadn't dealt with it. Finally he gave up, turning on the radio to distract himself from the very blatant elephant in the SUV.

Vague news reports of the fire at Ido's rural mansion were all over the airwaves. The radio Dj's were devising all kinds of theories about the Senator from it being a hit by the mob, to a freak accident. The other dead bodies had yet to reach the

news. But it was only a matter of time before all of Ido's secrets were dug up and plastered all over the media.

Serenity groaned and thumped the side of her head against the cold glass of her window.

What a mess...

Rini was so exhausted in every way she soon fell asleep, curled up in the back seat. With her head resting in Serenity's lap. Serenity absently brushed her fingers through her hair, soothing the teen who twitched nervously, unable to find peace even in her dreams. While the radio played the latest hits, Tiger finally finding a music only station not interested in re-hashing the news in an endless loop between songs.

She kept her elbow braced upon her hand rest, her chin cupped in a palm. Serenity was lost to her thoughts, watching the once warm sky grow dull and grey as rain encroached upon the horizon.

Endymion kept glancing up at the rear view mirror, his face pensive and worried. Watching bleakly as she wiped clumsily at her tears, returning her free hand to Rini's hair soon afterwards. This wasn't the happy reunion he had been anticipating for the last ten thousand years. She looked so lost and broken. She released a long tired sigh, finding no solace in the music playing softly through the cab.

As the sky finally opened up with a resounding rumble of thunder. Heavy beats of rain became a crescendo upon the truck. She merely blinked and jerked just a little, her unease over thunder paled in comparison to the true fear escalating inside of her. Her life had completely tilted off it's axis in a matter of one night. She felt totally a-drift in her own misery, over everything she had learned about herself, all the bloodshed and death that surrounded her. But most of all she couldn't handle losing Darien.

Beryl's little army of agents could still be following their last orders. To hunt down and exterminate the last of Ido's rouge Genesis Soldiers. Her friends were not safe, everyone who had any connection to her even remotely was at risk. Her mother was poised to start the next world war and she didn't have a clue where to find her. Shingo was her only connection to find answer's and she didn't even know if he was still alive.

She had no idea what to do, or where to go, or even if she could live beyond these painful moments. The lull of the drive, was allowing her volatile thoughts to spin and gain strength. The emotional tempest that she had been pushing aside to deal with what was happening at the Mansion. Now threatened to explode inside of her, like a powder keg tamped down to hard. All her anger, sorrow and frustration simmered just under her skin and she was struggling not to scream.

"So whats with the armour?" Tiger broke the long silence as he eased the truck into the traffic along the Shiba Expressway.

"You find it at the mansion and thought what the hell? It would limit the amount of surface area Beryl could use to syphon your life away? I can only image how much time you waisted squeezing your ass into that tin can. " Tiger finished his lips pulling into a humorous smile.

Endymion sighed, catching the mocking tone in his voice and turned to confront him.

"This is Elysian armour, handed down to me from my father. It has mystical properties, you could never understand. Blessed by the Gods themselves. I trust this armour to save my life before most men. " Endymion advised with all seriousness.

"Well that was a mouthful." Tiger stated dryly.

A pang of sadness hit Serenity at hearing him speak so formally. This imposter who resembled Darien in every way. It only served to remind her that he was gone, replaced by some man she couldn't remember. A man she supposedly loved, but right now she felt anything but fondness for him.

"Well, you look like a lost Otako, looking for a comic-con. " Tiger shot back. Serenity laughed softly, uncaring if it hurt Endymion's feelings. It was immature and shallow, but she couldn't help but despised him. In her mind he was the reason Darien didn't exists anymore.

Endy grunted and flicked a cold look her way, which softened instantly into worry. Casting his head down to stare out at the modern world that surrounded him. He had all the memories of every life time his soul had ever lived. It had been a long, long time since he had felt whole. He was grateful to finally be alive again, but it was bitter sweet. The love of his life did not remember him, all he felt from her was a seething blame. He didn't know how to make her understand, he didn't kill Darien. Her love of this lifetime was still very much alive. That the man she loved was a part of his whole self. That he was as much Darien as he was Prince Endymion.

"You look ridiculous! Like a reject from some medieval fair." Serenity quipped, then averted her face away in shame. She was being mean and spiteful, which was completely unlike her? The hollow pain she felt deep in her heart at losing Darien making her lash out vindictively at Endymion. Who honestly had done nothing to deserve this kind of ill treatment from her. Tiger was only teasing but she had sounded down right vicious. She couldn't look Endymion in the eye, feeling so ashamed of herself. She returned to watching the heavy drops of rain trickle down the glass. Tracing their paths with her fingers, trying to find that sense of peace that kept eluding her. She could still feel his gaze upon her, even with her eyes averted to the window. The hurt and worry he held in his eyes burning deeply into her very soul.

Blinking nervously, uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze. Still unwilling to confront him. As she felt so unsteady emotionally, knowing that if she faced the pain now etched in his expression. The stoic resolve she was desperately hanging onto might crack, leaving her a bawling, screaming mess. She couldn't deal with this new complication. Her sense of reality was in shambles. She needed to get her head on straight again, to think things out clearly before she could come up with a plan for her future. If she even had a future? From what fragments of her past lives she could recall, a future had never really panned out for her.

"Why don't you park in my spot in the underground garage?" Endymion pointed vaguely up the block. Tiger was parked so far away you could barely see the parkades recessed entrance.

"This luxury land yacht will not fit through that tiny entrance to that parkade of yours." Tiger huffed, swinging his arm over the back of his white leather chair.

"You ok to walk, Serenity?" He asked, only to be polite. He knew Serenity really didn't care if she got a little wet. She wasn't a high maintenance kinda girl.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. " She nodded, giving Rini's shoulder's gentle shake. Needing the teen to wake up, her legs were tingling and she wanted to stomp some much needed blood flow back into them before exiting the truck. The last thing she wanted was to hobble like an old lady with a cramp, it was bad enough she was still in nothing but a dress shirt. She had been looking like a half dressed prostitute for days now! All she wanted was a long hot bath and to be dressed properly for once.

Rini rose up moaning groggily, rubbing at the corner of her eyes with a knuckle.

"What time is it?" She asked weakly.

"Just after lunch." Serenity responded.

"At least drive the young maiden's up to the front doors. Do you not have any honour? Frail women should not be inflicted to endure such foul weather." Endymion chastised Tiger.

"Maiden's..." Rini laughed incredulously. "Wow, Who talks like that now?"

Endy let out a frustrated breath, opening his mouth to insist that Tiger show better manner's.

"We've come a long way, Endy. Since your time, we are strong enough to handle a little rain. " Serenity gave him a condescending pat on his shoulder guard, before pushing her door open. The blast of freezing rain slammed into her face like a sheet of ice, she squinted but refused to retreat from it. Slipping out into the torrential down pour, tucking her hands into her armpits for warmth. Bowing her head against the blinding gusts, she trudged up the block stubbornly. Soon soaked to the bone, her teeth chattering and shivering violently.

"Jeez, Serenity. This I am woman here me roar crap, sucks! You should have let him drop us off at the doors. I am freezing my butt off here..." Rini whined, jogging up beside her with her hood pulled up. Shivering and drenched, she cast her Senpai a sour glance, her eyes darkening even more with hidden resentments. When a bright red cloak was draped over Serenity's hunched shoulder's, shielding her from the brunt of the rain.

Serenity turned to confront Endy, her face stern. Wanting to shrug of his kindness and state again that she didn't need or want his comfort. Her retort fell silent in her throat, when she saw the pleading in his deep blue eyes.

"Your cold." He stated, "Please take my cloak." He gave her a charming boyish smile.

It totally disarmed her indignation, all she could think was that he looked so much like Daiki then.

He could always influence her emotions so easily with only a few words or a single look.

"Thank you." She mouthed, unable to summon any strength to her voice still so overcome by the sudden resemblance.

"Your welcome." He grinned, adjusting the cloak around her neck tenderly and giving her shoulder's a brief reassuring squeeze.

Serenity couldn't help it, she ducked her nose down into the heavy folds of the fabric and took a long, deep sniff. It smelled so good...clean and earthy, just like Darien. Her eyes widened in alarm, suddenly feeling like a fickle lover, who was now cheating on her dead boyfriend. She snapped the cloak off her shoulder's and thrust it back at Endymion. With a disgruntled impatience, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. As she glared upward at him, with confusion and anger.

"I changed my mind...I am totally fine. I don't want you to treat me like some damsel in distress. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" She practically shouted in his face, the blame and hurt simmering in her eyes was like daggers thrust into his chest. With a small cry, she dashed off through the rain wanting to put distance between them. Literally and figuratively, Endymion presumed.

Leaving him holding his cloak dumbfounded and confused.

Rini cast him a hopeful look, snatching up his cloak from his loose grip when he didn't even look down at her. Still staring forlornly after Serenity, into the sheets of rain.

"I on the other hand have no issues about accepting your cape." Rini wrapped the extremely long cloak over her shoulder's not caring that it dangled in the mud. Then dashed away after Serenity.

"Smooth...Nice to see Chivalry still works so well on the ladies." Tiger commented sarcasticly as he walked briskly past.

Hunched over with his hands thrust deep into his jean pockets. Looking disgruntled, wet and completely bedraggled.

Endy sighed and brushed a frustrated hand threw his wet hair. He had to make her understand, that they still loved each other. She was refusing to even entertain the idea that she still even liked him. Putting up walls that he needed to tear down before they could reconnect again. But he wasn't one to give up easily, ever onward that was his creed. He could get through to her he just needed to keep trying.

"I'm wet, I'm tired and I'm hungry." Rini grumped, flopping down onto the leather couch, casting the broken coffee table a strange look.

"And you are going to get sick if you don't get out of those soaked clothes and warm up." Serenity admonished, tapping Rini on the side of her head with a finger, as she passed behind the couch with her green army pack over her shoulder.

"Fine." Rini huffed, rising back to her feet and trudging after her down the hall to clean up.

Endymion retreated into his back bedroom with Tiger to scrounge up some dry clothes.

The water was hot, lapping against all the aches soothing them but only skin deep. The pain she felt was so deep inside the warmth of the bath could not touch them. Serenity lounged in the water of the huge soaker tub. Her arms braced on the wide porcelian rims, head resting against the tubs inclined back. With a wet, warm rag over her eyes, she was trying not to hold her breath, fearing the sounds that were escalating in her throat. Willing herself not to break down and cry, even through she was in relative privacy. Darien's large bathroom is identical to her own back in Haruka's condo across the street. It's color tones darker and more masculine. The countertops an obsidian tile, with cherry wood cabinets.

Rini had tossed all her wet clothes on the front sink counter, they were now scattered like soaking rags, dripping upon the dusty grey fake flagstone tile floor in a steady stream of dirty water. Pooling upon the floor, the rapid dripping an annoying sound for her to focus on to keep her tears at bay.

She was so very tired of being so torn up inside, she needed desperately to find a way to move forward. It would be so easy to just curl up and refuse to think, refuse to feel anymore pain. But she knew she didn't have the luxury to just stop and be numb for a while.

Even if she was only human, she needed to do everything with in her power to stop her mother. She had to save all the innocent lives her mother wanted to drag into a world war and the only way to do that was to track her down and get her crystal back! Why did Beryl call Shingo the Sleeper? What had Beryl truly done to him as a child? The nagging worry over Shingo was eating her up inside...if he was alive or dead? Was his body buried under the miles of rubble of the Aquarium. Did he suffer when the building collapsed or was his death merciful? If he survived, she wondered where he might me at this very moment and how he might be coping after the hell of that night? Those unbearable anxieties and drowning guilt festered inside of her like an acid, burning through her heart and scorching her thoughts giving her no peace.

Soft sniffling, followed by muted whimper's filtered in from the toilet alcove next to the tub room. Drawing Serenity's attention instantly. Rini had quickly cleaned herself on the wooden bench with the shower faucet then retreated next door stating she needed to pee. Serenity had been so wrapped up in her own troubles she had forgotten about Rini. Who had endured as much trauma and loss as she had. The teen was far to proud to cry in front of her, or even open up about how messed up she was feeling after losing so many dear friends.

Cursing herself for being an insensitive, self-involved wretch yet again. Serenity quickly tossed the washcloth to the tiles and leaped out of the tub. Wrapping a fluffy white towel around herself, she snatched an extra from the silver bar near the sinks. Before pulling the privacy screen aside and disappearing inside the shadowed alcove. Rini hadn't turned on the light, wanting to hide in the darkness of the small room. Serenity moved cautiously not wanting to trip over Rini or stub her toe on something. Finding the naked girl curled up in a dark corner of the room, just beside the toilet. Shivering and holding her knees, rocking back and forth as she sobbed brokenly. Her drenched strawberry blonde hair, hanging in a tangled mess around her face and shoulder's. Her soft brown eyes were staring at nothing, her focus completely locked up inside the trauma of the last forty-eight hours.

Serenity sank to her knees, wrapping the spare towel around her small shoulder's and pulling the unresponsive girl against her breast. Caressing down her long hair and whispering soothing words of comfort, trying to instill some sense of security into her troubled thoughts.

"Helios...Helios...Helios..." Rini kept muttering, hiccuping and sobbing against her. Wrapping her arms around her neck seeking to anchor herself. She felt like she was going to shatter into a million pieces if she didn't hold on to Serenity.

"Oh, baby girl." Serenity moaned, petting down the back of her head.

The endearment spilled from her mouth with out conscious thought. Serenity had never called her that before, but it seemed to fit. An odd deja vu echoing in the back of her mind, that Rini was more then just a dear friend. That she had been closer...like family...once? Serenity frowned, trying desperately to remember that far off connection. That linked her to Rini, beyond just this lifetime. All she managed to resurrect from her fragmented memories of her lost lives was a garbled baby's cry and the acidic smell of smoke. It made no sense, so she focused upon the present again.

"Helios isn't truly gone, his soul is tied to yours and one day he will be reborn. You will find each other again. I promise." Serenity assured her, her voice strong and full on confidence.

"How do you know?" Rini whimpered brokenly.

"I learned a lot in China and I've bonded with my Crystal now. Lets just say I have an inside perspective on how our universe works." Serenity inclined her head, smiling reassuringly down at her.

Rini listened to her explain the cycle of rebirth, karma and the struggle a soul must endure to reach enlightenment. Everything she had learned from the Monks back in China and her vague memories of her own incarnations. Wanting to give the young girl hope. Something she knew Rini had lost the moment she knew Helios was dead.

In time Rini's violent sobs became more gentle then faded away completely. Serenity held her in the silence for a short time, before Rini disentangled herself.

"Your turn..." She muttered weakly, her voice raw and reedy from to much crying. Swiping her fingers across her cheeks, clearing away the embarrassing moisture of her tears.

It took Serenity a second to register the teens' question. She blinked uncertainly for a moment before offering her a small indulgent smile.

"I'm fine." She advised, rubbing Rini's shoulder assuringly.

"Bullshit!" Rini spat back, crossing her arms stubbornly. "This is not how it works. I just bared my soul to you, Senpai. I know damn well your hurting too. Do not give me this stiff upper lip crap! We are closer friends then that." She groused.

Serenity laughed softly, at the cross scowl she was recieving from the thirteen year old. She was trying so hard to look threatening, but she looked more like a disgruntled child.

"A lot has happened to me too, in the last couple days." Serenity sighed, heavily. Pulling her knees up to her chest and crossing her arms over her knees. As if the physical act had the power to hold her together. As fresh tears filled her eyes. She felt as if her heart was going to be broken forever.

"Such as..." Rini encouraged with a small, impatient gesture of her hand.

Serenity rolled her eyes and laughed more loudly. She couldn't help the brief feelings of happiness, Rini's innocent

needling caused. This conversation was so familiar, so sweet and nostalgic. It warmed her tortured mind and soothed her aching heart.

"Such as...I'm some kind of Princess, slash goddess of the moon." She shrugged, having gotten used to the insanity of it. Laughing again at the totally flabbergasted look on Rini's face. Which was a totally reasonable reaction to her crazy statement.

"I great war broke out between my kingdom and that of the earth. That was my fault I guess. Because I choose to defy my mother and fall in love with the Prince of Elysian. Endymion." She sighed sadly.

Rini glanced over her shoulder, scrutinizing the open doorway as if she was assessing the man currently out of view beyond the bathroom. As certain realizations fell into place.

"Then I kinda killed everyone and chained their souls into a cycle of rebirth for the last ten thousand years." Serenity offered her a weak, apologetic smile. As tears trailed silently down her face.

"So that guy in there is the reincarnation of this Prince guy!" Rini squeaked.

She had wondered why he was dressed so weird and talked like some medieval knight. All of this was blowing her mind and couldn't help but gape at Serenity.

"Yeah..." Serenity moaned.

"Who was he before?" Rini reached out and gently took Serenity's hands in hers. Seeing how shaken and volatile she had become, worried she was about to shatter right then and there.

"Darien...the guy I fell in love with long ago." She whispered back brokenly. Her voice barely a breath, as great sobs shuttered through her body. It was Rini's turn to offer comfort and she folded her Senpai against her small breast. Holding onto her tight as she wailed in complete anguish against her. "He's gone...he's gone. I will never be able to tell him I'm sorry. That I loved him...only him." She stuttered out between great heaving breaths. Rini held on tight, while Serenity cried and clung to her. Releasing all her fear, all her pain and sorrow into the young girls willing arms. Knowing that Rini was there for her, as a compassionate, unbiased friend who only wanted to soothe and comfort her.

"It's going to be ok...It's going to be ok..." The young teen offered, rocking Serenity in her arms. At a loss as to how to comfort her over losing her true love, when her heart felt just as mangled.

"This is all my fault... Beryl told me I created this hell...and I don't know how to fix it." Serenity moaned, pressing her face tightly against Rini's chest as if seeking to hide herself from the world.

"This is not your fault!...Beryl was a deranged, crazy bitch! You gotta let what she said go, I doubt it was the truth anyway. " Rini rambled, offering words of support and forgiveness for crimes she had no way to understand. To young and oblivious to the true atrocities her Senpai had committed in her first life. Serenity needed this, this sense of security, of false forgiveness for her crimes. Slowly Serenity eased out of her arms, wiping away the moisture on her face with quick swipes of her palms.

"I really need some chocolate." Rini stated, giving her a small, nervous smile before leaving the alcove for the tub room. For a time Serenity was able to push aside all her problems to help Rini deal with everything. Rini in turn had attempted to comfort her and for a time her unconditional, uncomplicated love had soothed her heart. But once the teen was set to rights and calmly getting dressed in a spare set of clothes from Serenity's pack, out in the tub area of the bathroom. The blonde was once more left to endure the confusion of her thoughts. After Rini left, she heaved a great breath and emerged from the darkness of the alcove. Leaving the bathroom herself and retreating away with her pack toward Darien's now vacant bedroom. Needing to change into something clean and dry herself.

"So what the hell happened to you." Tiger demanded, having changed into a pair of black track pants with white accents running along the thighs and a red basketball tee with the sleeves ripped off. That clashed brutally with his wild reddish orange hair. That he had once again tamed into a long ponytail with an elastic band. Moving behind the island to help Endymion with preparing lunch. The newly awoken Prince had taken off his armour and stashed his sword and cloak in Darien's walk in closet. Now dressed in a pair of loose fit black wrangler jeans and a white linen button down shirt, with the cuffs rolled up over his elbows. Looking as if he belonged in this era. Busy cutting vegetables upon a cutting board and then brushing them absently into a bowl.

"It wasn't a coincidence I found you wearing full plate mail then?" Tiger sighed, moving in beside him at the end of the island with another cutting board and pairing knife. That looked like a child's toy in the man's huge fist.

A smart click announced the girls were out of the bathroom. Endymion glanced up in anticipation of seeing Serenity again. Keeping his face impassive, concealing his disappointment. When Rini moved sombrely into the living room. Wearing a pair of baggy jean overalls with a white tank top underneath. Her long strawberry blonde hair hung damp around her shoulder's. She flopped on the couch, giving the shattered remains of the glass coffee table a sour look. Surveying the floor beside the couch, snatching up the t.v. remote and a half empty bag of m&m's that had landed nearby. The rest of the candy had scattered all over the floor and mixed in with the shards of glass from the table, making it inedible.

Digging into the remainder of the bag and popping a handful of chocolate into her mouth without paying either man a single glance. Focused entirely on distracting herself with mindless cartoons.

Darien remained staring transfixed upon the empty hall, as if willing Serenity to appear. Tiger flicked him in the forehead, with his finger, jarring him back from his worried thoughts.

"Focus, Darien...I really need an update here." Tiger growled, reaching for a plump, sweet white onion and began to carve the skin off.

"Right..." Endymion breathed, tearing his eyes away from staring forlorn down the hall to continue the conversation. He was about to go into the story of his resurrection, when another soft click caught his attention. He snapped his eyes up, finding Serenity leaving the bathroom in nothing but a towel wrapped around her lithe frame. Her long golden hair trailing damp and shiny down her arching back. She held her old, weather worn green pack against her chest. As if it was a shield, protecting her from harm. Not even raising her eyes from the floor to meet his. Looking sad and utterly lost in thought. Even through he knew she could sense him admiring her, as her face flushed warmly. She resolutely turned her back on him and padded out of view into his back bedroom. Closing the door softly behind her.

"She's a mess..." Tiger growled low in his throat, the thrum in his tone a very feline sound of agitation.

Endymion stared at the closed door mournfully, wanting to be able to help her deal with his change. With all the emotional turmoil she was now enduring, at finding out the truth about herself, about him and the long buried past. But knowing for right now she needed time to work some of it out for herself. He was going to be patient, take each day at they came. In time she might warm up to him again. This was her current reincarnation, if she could not remember clearly who she truly was, or even him. It would explain her confusion and reluctance to give into her feelings. She could not deny the love they shared? It was to powerful, an eternal ribbon of fate that had entwined their hearts in every life. Their souls had found each other again and again, had fallen in love. With the same intense abandon as that first life. It will just take a little time to rekindle those feelings again. But once lit, their love would burn bright and strong again.

With a heavy sigh he regarded Tiger with a serious frown.

"I am Endymion, Heir to the throne of Elysian and High Prince of the Golden Kingdom." He announced, his title sounding regal and very practiced.

Rini popped her head up from her sprawled position on the couch, suddenly interested in their conversation.

"He killed Darien and Serenity hates him for it." She offered helpfully in a snide, bitter tone. Flicking the remote in her hand towards him briefly before flopping back down on the couch.

"Thanks for healing me by the way." She muttered as an after thought.

Endymion narrowed his eyes at the teen, who seemed to mirror Serenity's every emotion like an afterimage. Serenity was mad at him, so too would Rini be.

"Thanks for the update!" He quipped back, darkly.

Rini never acknowledged him, keeping her focus on the brightly animated ponies now prancing over the flat screen.

Tiger leaned in close, getting right into his personal space near his shoulder. The wild man took several deep sniffs, eyeing him warily as he pulled back. Endymion paid him a wary glance, flinching back a little nervously.

"You smell like Darien...You look like Darien...how are you not Darien?" Tiger snapped back tightly, discarding his tiny knife for a large butcher's knife from the block on the back counter. Slamming the heavy blade through the onion like an executioner beheading a criminal.

Endymion swallowed hard, the man could really give off an threatening aura. He was a hunter, cool, poised and aware of his surroundings. Tiger eyed him critically for a moment, silently demanding answers.

"When I synced with my Golden Crystal, the essence left over from Daiki Shinoda. Who held a fragment of my soul. Merged with Darien Shields who held the last remaining pieces of my soul, he was in essence my final rebirth. The last two pieces of my soul were reclaimed, so I was then resurrected. I am whole now, after thousands of years of Samsara. I have been fully restored." Endymion stated.

"So Darien is where?" Tiger stated gruffly, as Rini popped her head up from the leather arm rest of the couch like a ground hog. Keen to hear the answer to that question.

"I am still Darien, I have become him as he is my final incarnation. That simple aspect hasn't changed, but I am also Endymion. I have in essence become the Alpha and Omega of my own existence. " Endymion searched for understanding between the two. Finding Rini staring blankly not able to wrap her mind around what he was saying. While Tiger merely nodded, falling into deep contemplations.

"So ultimately your still Darien..." Tiger reasoned.

"That's the simplest way to put it. Yes...if only I could get her to understand that." Darien sighed sadly, bowing his head in resignation to continue chopping vegetables.

Then a enraged scream pierced the calm of the condo, Darien bolted around the island and raced down the hall to his bedroom with Tiger at his heels. Rini scrambled off the couch and this time instead of heading to save Serenity from what ever monster was attacking her. She hid behind the kitchen island trembling like a frightened animal.

 **Several minutes earlier...**

Serenity paced the confines of the bedroom, having never gotten a good look at Darien's bedroom. She hadn't been in a rational state of mind the last time she had been in here. Now she appreciated it for what it was. Her eyes moving over the cluttered blonde wooden side table, that had an old wrinkled paperback on top, with dozen's of pages dogeared inside. The black digital clock reading six pm, was dusty, illustrating how infrequently Darien cleaned. The refined elegance of the black iron rose back board of his king size bed drew her eyes, she admired it for a moment before trailing her gaze down to the rumpled navy sheets. Cringing as flashes of unwanted images of forced betrayal entered her thoughts. The regret of how she had handled her last day with him twisting her gut. She hadn't known what really happened to them that morning, but she also didn't give him a chance to make things right between them either. Despising her self righteous attitude with him. How she had squandered her last remaining time with him, brooding and bemoaning over how things had turned out. Wanting to hate Beryl for what she had done, how she had manipulated Darien. But could only feel pity and sorrow for her instead. Her whole existence for the last ten thousands years had been a cruel and heartless punishment. A punishment she had inflected...

Hating herself and feeling overwhelmingly guilty for how she had twisted and brutalized poor Beryl's soul over thousands of years. Wondering bleakly if perhaps she deserved to be this unhappy, this tortured and torn. Biting her lower lip to stop it from quivering, she tore her eyes away from the bed to take in the large picture window that wrapped around the room. Showing the extended cement balcony that framed the condo. One whole side smashed thanks to Beryl's escape while the other side, separated by a thin frame was spared.

The spartan and bare beige walls that flanked the windows seemed so impersonal, giving the room a barren melancholy feeling. This place was so different compared to the cozy warmth she felt in Darien's old apartment back in the States. The loneliness she felt within these walls took it's toll on her fragile emotional calm. She had made a complete mess of their love, she should have risked her heart again, years ago...should have fought for it instead of tucking tail and running. She had no way to make amends for her mistakes, Darien was gone. As she was left confused and conflicted with feelings of intense desire for a Prince she could not remember.

Taking a shaky breath she moved towards the walk in closet, it was organized and neat. With flanking rows of dress shirts pressed and hanging on the iron bars, stacks of shirts folded on shelves with perfect rows of shoes, ranging from grubby sneaker's to stylish dress shoes. Everything seemed to have its place, nothing was out of the ordinary just a simple man's closet. Then she noticed Endymion's armour neatly stacked in the far corner, beside a full length mirror attached to the back wall.

The girl reflecting back at her was pale, her eyes looked hallow and withdrawn from to much crying. Her golden blonde hair hung wet, limp and tangled over her shoulder's. She looked nothing like how she remembered. That once vital and determined woman she had been, was now beaten into submission. The haunted girl staring back was a stranger to her, her stomach clenched in agony.

"Who am I?" She demanded of her reflection. Seething with contempt when the image did nothing but look ready to bawl...again. Her weakness infuriated her.

"I will not cry. I will not cry, " she repeated in a heated whisper, willing her lips to stop trembling, her eyes to dry.

The pressure of all the doubts, regrets and self loathing that she had been inflicting upon herself since Beryl's death finally exploded. As her shoulder's began to shake, loud sobs she had been violently trying to contain broke free. Tears clouded her vision, blurring the edges and obscuring her wretched reflection. With a piercing scream of fury she charged for the mirror, wanting to obliterate the pathetic, vile woman who had created this endless hell.

"I hate you!" She roared, running at full speed towards the glass, her tear streaked face becoming larger upon the glass. Her face flushed and twisted with a deadly rage, fists raised to strike. Then a fist collided against the glass, smashing the mirror. Only then did a calm peace descend over her, a fatal kind of sadness that was addictive. A drowning despair shrouded her mind like a thick fog. Serenity watched with a bleak wonder as the mirror shattered. As a million shiny pieces of that cursed woman fell to the hardwood floor.

"Why can't it just end..." She whispered, falling limply to the floor on her knees. The once loosely folded towel, slipping away off her back. Leaving her naked and trembling before the million shards of herself. The thousands of tragic lives she had lived, echoing from each mirrored fragment. Taunting her for a failure, for being weak of heart and faint of will. She had caused this...all this sorrow, all this hate, this endless round of rebirth was all her fault! With shaking finger's she slowly gripped a sharp dagger of glass, overcome by dangerous thoughts. A deathly compulsion spun round and round in her mind. Repeating in an obsessive yet seductive mantra. A timeless command that had hounded her reincarnations beckoned her to fulfil her promise. As she slowly turned the shard towards the tender underside of her left wrist. Unable to fight the powerful compulsion to end it all.

 _It would b e to easy...one cut...it would b e slow b ut I could control this outcome...I could make it end again..._

"Serenity!" Darien's voice exploded behind her. With her head still foggy with misery, she reacted sluggishly. Turning just in time, as he slapped the shard of glass out her grip with the back of his hand. Grabbing her by the offending wrist and shoulder, hauling her back up to her feet, turning and slamming her against the wall. The dress shirts parted as he propelled her through the clothing and into the wall, shielding them both in a make shirt curtain of fabric from Tiger.

Who was standing poleaxed at the entrance to the closet. Unwilling to intrude upon their private moment. Knowing instinctively that she belonged to Darien...to Endymion. He knew his place and stood firmly at the doorway, waiting. He would only make a move to enter if Serenity bid him to.

"You got this..." he asked sternly. When silence reigned for far to many minutes.

"I got this..." Endymion returned curtly, the intensity of his eyes never leaving her's. Pinning her to the wall by one wrist over her head, caging her in with his other arm braced beside her head. His concerned face inches away from hers, his breath heavy and full of emotion. Mixing with her shaky inhalation of air, as she reluctantly met his unwavering stare. Her eyes unfocused and dreamy, her lips parting trying to accommodate her faster breaths. He smelled so familiar...this gentle sweet scent? Soft and mysterious like a midnight garden from so long ago...

"I won't let you go..." He choked out, his voice barely a whisper. "I will not follow you into another life."

She shuddered against him, his words held such power and pre-destiny her very soul was trembling.

"We are going to fight this time...we will over come our tragic fate." He promised. She was unable to look away, the determination in his soulful blue eyes making her nod slightly confirming that she understood.

Blinking out of her haze of deepest despair, she swallowed hard. It was only then he loosened the intense grip he had on her wrist. She quickly ducked her head to the side, shyly averting her eyes to the floor. Unable to handle the intensity of his gaze any longer.

"Darien..." Serenity whimpered. Feeling so exposed and aroused, his chest was inches away from her hot skin. His dress shirt brushing feather light against her nipples every time he breathed. An subtle, sensual caress that was arousing her immediately. The warmth his body radiated in this cramped space, seeping into her body making her light headed.

"Yes..." He breathed, his bracing hand pulling away from the wall. Brushing his fingers tenderly up and down her cheek. She shifted her eyes up from the floor and he could see the desire there. Her eyes were heavy and she was peeking up at him from beneath her long lashes. He caressed the inside of her wrist with his thumb, his touch was cautious worried she might rebuke his affection and push him away again. When she trembled under his touch his courage grew.

Her heart beat became ragged, as did her breath. Her gaze transfixed with his, absorbing all the love that shone in the depths of his deep blue eyes. This was her Darien...the intensity of the feelings he invoked in her was unmistakable. A surge of hope rushed through her, that perhaps she hadn't lost him forever. Awareness of his desire pressed against her exposed belly, sent a silent demand through out her own body.

"You know that I can't live without you. I need you to stay strong for me, this time. " He slid his gaze over her, accessing how far he could take this encounter. He felt her relaxing against him, her walls slowly coming down as she became more receptive towards him. She shivered again, leaning towards him slowly.

"Who are you?" She ducked her face away from his gaze, fighting the pull of desire she felt towards him.

"Darien..." He responded cautiously, the sincerity in his voice was resounding in the depths. He brushed his free hand up and down her arm, closing the distance between them. Brushing his thumb under her right eye. Rubbing away the stray tear that escaped as she turned her head away.

Ashamed of her tears and scared to give in to her heart, her yearning for his touch. She sought to close herself off, to fight the pull to press herself against him. "Don't lie to me." She whispered brokenly, staring down at the floor refusing to look at him.

"Close your eyes, Sere." He advised, using her nickname to draw her back to him. Staying the rejection he felt was coming as he pulled away, giving her some much needed distance. But only moving enough to allow her to breathe more calmly, he still caged her against the side of the closet refusing to let her go.

Serenity sucked in a breath, he spoke her nickname with a touch of amusement. Sounding just like the taunting Darien she knew back in High School.

She obeyed, closing her eyes. He watched and drew closer, brushing his free hand down her arm. Until his larger hand folded over hers at her hip. Releasing her wrist, he braced himself against the wall near her head with his other arm, as he leaned in towards her ear. His hot breath against the shell of her ear, sent ripples of excited pleasure through her entire body. He was testing how far he could take this encounter. How much he affected her. He felt like a desperate, starving man. It had been to long since he had seen her, to long since he had touched her. As much as this silent invitation exhilarated him, he was also terrified of the inevitable rebuttal if he didn't explain his existence right. If he couldn't make her understand that he was Darien, but he was also far more then just his current incarnation. He needed to do this slowly, tactfully so not to scare her. He couldn't loose her again! The fear of her running from him again, was like a cold panic always biting under the surface of his rational mind.

He then ran his free hand up her side, until his hand came to rest just beneath her breast. His thumb grazed the underside of the swell, as she gasped and shot her hands up to grasp his biceps. She was so affected by his pressence, his touch. Yet she still refused to look at him, stubbornly averting her eyes to her feet. Her breathing had become heavy, he couldn't help but gaze longingly at her perfectly delicious cleavage rising and falling inches beneath his chin. They were impossible to ignore, all plump and perfect. Her soft plush nipples were hard, brushing up and down the cotton fabric of his dress shirt. An inadvertent erotic caress of her own, that was driving his lust to new heights. Loosing track of his true intent, unable to stop himself. He eased his free hand up further and covered her left breast, squeezing it gently. Serenity whimpered as her knees grew weak, her back bowing as she nearly collapsed. She let her head fall back against the wall, still refusing to face him. Keeping her face turned to the side stubbornly. He held her steady and slipped a leg between hers, to keep her from crumpling to the floor.

He moved his hand over to her right breast, rubbing the pad of his thumb over her firm nipple.

"Oh...Kami..." She moaned, her body clenching under her rising arousal. Sinking down upon his knee with a pleading sound. He moaned in need as he felt the warmth of her sex upon his leg. She gasped and cried out, grasping his arms tighter. As the subtle friction of his pants, rubbed against her swollen and aroused center.

Darien growled at how inviting her was being, he had nearly come in his pants. Just watching her pleasure herself against his leg. She was so intoxicating, so willing...if he wanted to take this farther. Make love to her here in his closet, he knew she would let him. He could sense her fear, that toxic brew of confused emotions that Beryl had created inside of her. But her need for him was more powerful. She seemed so desperate for him to fix her pain with a bout of mind numbing sex. She was practically begging him for it. Just like she was back at the canal. But this time he couldn't give her what she wanted, it would be taking advantage of her. Clenching his jaw tight, he took a deep breath seeking to resurrect his once flagging self control and calm down the raging hard on that was torturing him. She needed to know who he truly was before they went any further. The next time they made love, he wanted no secrets between them.

Then he gripped her chin and turned her back to face him, determined to make this right. To make her understand that they were forever.

Her heart was racing out of control, her stomach a quivering mess. Her thoughts scattered and very unbalanced.

"I am your first love..." He whispered against the shell of her ear. The sensation of his lips on such a vulnerable part of her body, sent ripples of desire to tremble over every inch of her skin. She shivered against him, her hands fluttering from his arms. Trembling and uncertain her hands reached up to his chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. Wanting to hold him there and make this moment last forever.

"Your last love..." He brushed his lips softly down the nape of her neck, trailing feather soft kisses back up under her chin.

Mouthing the tender skin there, lovingly. Her breathing hitched and she couldn't help the moan of longing that escaped.

Desperately wanting to feel his mouth over hers, now.

"I am forever..." He mouthed, just behind her other ear. His left hand ghosting down her flank. Splayed over her lower back, keeping her tight against him. Then he drew back, as she slowly opened her eyes. Searing her with his gaze, holding her focus with a firm resolve. The desire and yearning she saw was so intense she was captivated by it. The love mirroring back to her from his eyes, spoke of an eternity they had yet to discover. She meant everything to him...and shockingly even in his current state of ascension to Prince Endymion. She now believed that he meant everything to her. Her eyes were wet and the soft blue was beseeching him to be who she needed most.

"Your Mamoru." He stated with passion, watching as tears welled then fell from her eyes. With a groan of need, he tipped her chin up and sealed his mouth over hers.

His lips were soft, yet firm. The gentle pressure he exerted, became more intense as she snaked her arms around his neck and fisted handfuls of his hair. Sighing against him, as he tongue darted out, licking at her bottom lip. Coaxing her to open her mouth, she easily complied to his demand. Moaning with delight as his tongue lashed inside, tasting her leisurely.

His affection was confident and just slightly aggressive. Churning a wild abandon inside of her, that she had experienced long ago on a midnight boat ride along the Seine river.

"Daiki..." She yelped in alarm, pulling away abruptly. Scrambling out of his embrace in a panic, as if he was of fire.

Casting him frightened, wary looks over her shoulder as she stumbled out of the closet.

Endymion sighed and rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. Things had been going so well, he thought she was starting to understand. But then she had gone stiff in his arms, as if the heated passion she was feeling for him was suddenly doused with cold water. He couldn't understand it? When he left the confines of the closet a moment later, he found her dressing hastily. Pulling on a pair of slender jeans and slipping on a simple cotton bra and then covering herself in a white silk cami. All the while giving him quizzical glances that looked a bit testy. As she angrily tucked a wide belt around her waist, her sharp movements premeditated to control her temper. With her face heated and eyes swimming with angry tears, she looked ready to scream or slap him senseless. Either way, he was thankful that she seemed slightly undecided. Shuffling on the balls of her feet far to agitated to remain still.

She had not understood his change and instead of accepting that he was the embodiment of all her lover's through out time. She felt shamed by her weakness at giving into him, feeling she had cheated on her current love...Darien in some way. Hating that she had allowed him to seduce her, as if he was tricking her to love him by acting like Darien. When in fact he was Darien and also so much more. She was confused and bewildered by the pressence of more then one lover existing in one body. It was overwhelming and she just didn't not know how to handle it. Pulling a wool sweater over her body to conceal every last inch of skin, she rushed out of the room. Refusing to look at him even as she brushed past him in the doorway.

Leaving Endymion pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling a tension headache coming on. Getting through to her in her current state of muttled memories was going to be hard...Her soul wasn't whole and because of that. Her current incarnation was confused and overwhelmed by it all.

Tiger had waited just out of sight in the hallway, listening, waiting to see in which direction their conversation was going to go. If it got out hand and Serenity needed an escape he wanted to be nearby, but when the soft sounds of affection greeted his ears. He smiled bitterly and stepped away. Heading down the hall, finding the living room oddly vacant.

"Little rabbit?" He called softly, taking a tentative sniff of the air. Smelling the sour scent of fear and sweat. He had known Rini over the last few years as Serenity's little shadow. Her sidekick in battle and as such had nicknamed her Little Rabbit.

With a decisive nod, he approached the island, crawling on all fours around and behind. Moving cautiously, not wanting to frighten her anymore then she already was. Moving around the back he found her leaning against the pantry style

doors, picking at a metal button of her overalls. Twisting the button around anxiously in her finger tips, lost in troubled thoughts.

"Hey, there." He offered, adjusting himself to sit beside her.

"Why do you call me Chibi-Usa?" She mumbled, vacantly.

"Because you are just like her. " he smiled indulgently at her. " Serenity." He finished, adjusting his position to sit down a discrete distance beside her. " I have always seen her as a Wiley rabbit." He chuckled good naturedly.

Rini smiled slightly, then her expression soured. "My name is Rini..by the way."

"My names Tiger." he offered.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Tiger as in Tigers-eye..." Her mouth dropped open in surprise, appraising his now human form with wary suspicion. It was strange only a few months ago they had been adversaries. Now it seemed he was Serenity's friend. It was all so screw up and strange, she was having a hard time dealing.

"Serenity healed me with her crystal, before it was stolen." He shrugged, understanding his past animosity towards the Soldier of Sanctity was not much of a secret. That this protege of her's wouldn't be that trusting right away about his sudden change of heart.

Rini just stared incredulously at him, not budging an inch closer.

"You used to be a hell of lot furrier." She grimaced.

"Yeah, but change is good. Kid." Tiger stated, with a cocky half smile. That faded quickly under her continued scrutiny.

"It's a long story, But basicly we've become pretty close friends in the last forty-eight hours. I'm on your side in all this craziness and I'll protect her from now on...OK." He reassured her. Giving her shoulder's a mild, reassuring shake.

Rini nodded at first, grateful that he had placed himself on the front lines of the war to come. She really didn't feel ready to go into battle anytime soon. Her confidence was shot and she felt at this point she would pretty much be fodder. It might be best if she just disappeared and let the adults handle what was coming. Then she started to laugh, it was an anguished bitter sort of sound. As she came to grips with the fact that Helio's salvation had been possible, Tiger was proof that the beastial transformation could have been reversed, but fate had intervened. Destroying her chances for a happily ever after before it even began. It broke her in so many more ways. Fresh tears began streaming down her face, as regret and blame weighed heavily upon her heart. Helios had never wanted to go back into the mansion, he had know death had awaited them there. But she had refused to listen, her pride, her loyalty to Serenity had sealed his fate.

His death was all her fault! That grim realization shredded her heart in new and more profound ways. As the guilt sought to crush the air from her lungs. She was struggling to breath, to live...she just wanted all of this agony to end...

"Aw...Little Rabbit..." Tiger moaned in empathy, understanding how cruel life could be. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder's and drew her into his side.

"Things could have turned out so much better...couldn't they..." Rini's soggy voice wobbled out from her broken sobs.

Tiger held her close, pressing her head tenderly against his shoulder with one large hand. He wasn't going to start spouting platitudes to try and make her feel better. He understood this sort of suffering, that it only healed with time. One had to come to terms with the reality of what was and allow all the fantasies of what might have been to fade away. Then and only then would the strength and courage return to move forward with life.

The rain had eased to a cool mist, that hung over Tokyo in a lazy fog. Sweeping down the wet, streets muting the world into a dull grey. Tiger was hauling out the melted hard drive from the back hatch of the Escalade, with Rini hopping on her toes on the sidewalk to maintain some heat. Dressed in just her overalls, having tossed all her soaked clothes into Darien en-suite dryer. She had to make due for now with out a jacket.

"Lets get this back up there and try to get it all set up before the girls get back." Tiger advised as he pulled his tall frame out of the hatch and closed the backend with a slam.

"The girls?" Rini asked.

"Serenity's friends from the States, they were fighting along side her last night at the Arena. Their due in this evening from

Yokohama." Tiger adjusted the bulky plastic case against his side, stepping up onto the sidewalk.

"More Genesis Born...I thought the only ones in existence were from Japan and Korea?" Rini responded in confusion.

Tiger laughed mildly, shaking his head. "Didn't you ascend with out Ido's aid?"

"Yeah?" Rini sputtered.

"Well, you think its possible for other stressed out kids in other parts of the world could ascend just like you? " Tiger smiled knowingly, casting her a side long look.

"I guess..." Rini admitted, the thought of other kids just like her with power's. Needing guidance to safely use their gifts. Needing a moral compass to look up too, as she had with the adult soldier's in Ido's mansion. Growing up was hard enough, slapping super powers on top of all that teenage angst and confusion. That was just scary...

"I bet their have been tons of rouge Genesis Born ascending worldwide." Tiger nodded, a cold shiver running up his spine. That prospect was sobering, with out a leader to keep them in line the world would plunge into chaos. He shot Rini a serious look, finding the teen looking just as stricken, coming to the same dark conclusions.

A flash of sharp illumination refracted off the fog, blinding Rini for a moment, making her stop walking suddenly. Squinting and peering quizzically through the mist, with her hand shielding her eyes. Tiger meandered up the sidewalk a few more strides, glancing at the oncoming car with little interest.

A warm sun yellow soft top corvette charged past them with a street bike carrying two passenger's flying at top speed just behind.

"Well, that's them then." Tiger nodded to the two vehicles that were now rounding the block ahead. "Lets get out of this damp." He started for the Condo complex with Rini at his heels.

Endy was leaning against the picture window with his arms crossed looking pensive. The golden crystal now dangling from a fine chain around his neck. While Serenity now dressed in a pair of match stick blue jeans that hung low over her waist, with a wide white studded belt. A pearl white silk cami with spaghetti straps, hung alluringly over her petite frame with a pale blue wool weave cardigan draped over top. The slender sleeves bunched over her wrists, as she dug into her pack that was propped up on the seat of the flanking arm chair. Rearranging her belongings, as if preparing to leave. Her blonde hair, flowing free down her back in waves of pure gold.

He found himself staring at her for long periods of time. Admiring that aura of tender beauty that cloaked her always. Even when she was engaged in the mundane task of reorganizing a backpack. Yet this incarnation held a thread of inner strength that was unparalleled in her past. It shone in the stubborn determination in her eyes, the iron control she now held on her emotions. She had bluntly ignored discussing her breakdown back in his closet, when he had brought it up earlier. Focusing all her energy upon packing, she was leaving him again. It tore at him, making him feel anxious and irritable. So he had been ignoring her also, staring moodily out his window. Brooding over how miserably he had failed to make her understand his ascendance.

Tiger ambled into the living room, giving his wet hair a brisk shake, like a dog. As he kicked off his loose, untied heavy suede work boots, borrowed from Darien's broken entry closet. Casting the brooding silence between the two lovers a tired look, before retreating to the now clean kitchen island to deposit the hard drive. Their afternoon meal had past with an awkward, tension along with the afternoon. With Serenity keeping busy about the Condo, gathering and regathering her things and packing them meticulously into her travel pack. While Endy stared morosely out the living room window, his hands shoved deep into his jeans pockets or fingering the crystal adorning his neck. Casting her lingering, almost pouting looks. His expression resembling a kicked dog, more then a regal Prince.

They looked like two lover's going through a very uncomfortable break-up. Tiger had hoped things would work themselves out, if they had a bit of alone time. But it looked like that elephant in the room was only getting larger. Looks like space might be the next option, from the look of how intently she was packing, that was exactly what she was thinking too.

Rini paid both of them a mild look, before disappearing into the laundry alcove set just behind the kitchen. Eager to get away from the weighted silence to check on her clothes.

The sound of hushed conversation broke out in the hall, drawing everyones attention. Tiger glanced at the front door as it pushed open. The loud excitable honey blonde was the first to enter, with her three girlfriends in tow. Two men trailed in their wake, one with dark reddish brunette hair, as long and wild as Tigers. His taller companion a more subdued, contained personality with long platinum blonde hair. The last to enter was a haggard looking blonde man, pushing a

dusty blonde man in a wheel chair. Who's head was bandaged, his white dress shirt hung open revealing more woven white bandages wrapped around his chest. His face was pale and slick with sweat but his hazel eyes looked determined. The two men were arguing heatedly back and forth.

"I should haul your stubborn, obstinate ass back to the hospital. I can't believe you just checked yourself out after everything the doctor told you...Your being completely unreasonable." Jed growled low against his brother's ear.

"If you don't think your capable of taking care of me, then I'll do it all myself. I'm used to it." Zac snarled back.

The blonde was taken a back, staring down at him with very obvious hurt feelings.

"I promised to take care of you, Zac and I will..." He promised, his tone heavily laced with guilty feelings.

"Then stop whining like a little girl and just take care of me..." Zac stated, in stern hushed tones.

Jed sighed, hanging back near the front door while everyone took off their shoes and tossed them into the broken coat closet, with curious frowns.

Serenity had barely stood from her chair when all four of the girl rushed her. Crying with joy that she was alive, each scrambling to hug her at the same time. As the shortest of the group she was soon mobbed and overwhelmed by them. Laughing and blushing with delight herself, embracing them all as best she could. Her heart that was once floundering with doubt and regret over the hell of reincarnation she had forced upon her dear friends, lifted for but a moment. As she basked in their unbridled joy and laughter. Understanding for the first time why she had done it. She could not live with out these girls and they in turn could not live with out her. Their friendship was so strong, so interconnected it would outlast eternity itself. They would never hold her selfish wishes against her. Their compassion and understanding for each other was an amazing gift, she would never squander again!

"Honest to god, Sere. You like to scare me!" Raye chastised, pressing her hands against Serenity's cheeks harshly.

Squishing her lips into a fish shape. When Raye was finished with her, Lita pulled her into another more fierce embrace.

"Never do that again!" She warned, lifting Serenity off her feet and squeezing her in a bear hug so tight, so encompassing the little blonde could not breath. Serenity merely squeaked back in response, her face squashed into the Thunder Soldier's amble bosom.

"Ok...Lita. You need to put her down now, or 'you' are going to kill her." Amy commented, pulling on Serenity's shoulder's.

Attempting to extract her from Lita's all consuming hug.

Serenity giggled and took a deep breath, once Lita loosened her grip. Allowing her to stand back on her own feet. Lita blushed and nervously took a step back, nodding in Amy direction curtly. She had gotten a little cared away, her passionate emotions could be powerful. Overwhelming her common sense some times. Her anger as volatile and deadly as a storm. It was just her nature, the girls had learned to temper her. She wasn't ashamed of her over zealous personality. Thanks to her friends acceptance of her and unwavering support. She had come to embrace her passionate side.

"Who killed the poor coffee table?" Mina stared at the shattered remains, that had yet to be cleaned up in dismay. Drawing everyone's attention away from the slowly retreating Lita and the now slightly wheezing Serenity. Who was still working on getting oxygen into her flattened lungs.

Endymion meekly raised his hand in acknowledgement.

"Do I want to know why?" Mina cocked a sarcastic eyebrow.

"Man-trum." Tiger offered helpfully, from his position leaning against the front of the island.

Endymion past him a disgruntled glare, to which Tiger ignored completely.

"Kunsite!, Nephrite!, Jedite!, Zoisite! " Darien's voice rang out excitedly as he recognized the men now entering the living room from the small foyer. "It has been far to long...my friends."

Kane and Hollywood stopped in their tracks at the edge of the living room. Staring at Darien with a mixture of curiosity and alarm. Jed bounced Zac's wheel chair up into the living room. Glancing at Darien impassively, while Zac stared at him quizzically from the front of the entryway.

"Excuse me..." Kane floundered. While Hollywood merely stood impassively at his side, evaluating the approaching man cautiously.

"You are the living incarnations of my honourable guards..." Endymion's excitement wained into disappointment when neither of the men showed any signs of recognition. His once eager stride, stuttering to a slow stop before the island. Understanding sadly their souls might not be whole, fragments of themselves may be alive else where in other bodies. Or still floating unclaimed within the spiritual ether between life and death.

"You will have to excuse Prince Endymion, he believes you are people from his past." Serenity cut in apologetically.

"He thinks I am his long lost, Princess." She smiled tightly, refusing to look at anyone as she denied her past life so blatantly.

Endymion cast her a hurt expression for but a moment, before quickly covering it up with a polite, if warm smile towards the girls.

"It is good to see the 'Princess's Guardian's' are alive and well in this modern era." He nodded, towards the girls. Taking their incredulous looks in stride. Raye and Amy were the only ones not confused by what he was speaking off. Raye merely gave him a small nod of understanding, acknowledging silently that she too had recovered all her memories. While Amy passed him a weak smile of solidarity, retreating behind Zac's wheelchair and guiding him out of the way behind the island. Endymion took note of their silent support and was emboldened by it.

"Ah, so this is more of that past life stuff?" Hollywood nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. They had gotten a crash course in Genesis States and reincarnations last night from Raye and Amy.

Jed cast Amy a calculating look, as he followed her behind the island. She sighed and rolled her eyes in frustration, as he possessively grasped the handles of Zac's wheel chair. Guiding him away and positioning him back against the large picture window. There was a silent tug of war happening between the two concerning Zac's care. Who was now glowering up at his brother, with silent fury at being forcefully removed from Amy's side.

"Ok...I am way to sober to deal with more crazy shit." Kane raised his arms up in surrender, heading for the fridge to find some beer. "I am going to need a little alcohol to ease into this new level of insanity." he grumbled. Returning to the island with a six pack of cold beer, popping a can open and guzzling one back in less then a minute. Before giving Darien his undivided attention.

Endymion was about to explain how this final resurrection came about. When Serenity jumped in,

"What happened to Shingo...I mean Sammy. My brother?" She stumbled out urgently, her eyes darting to each of the girls in a panic. Her heart was thudding mercilessly in her chest. A desperate need to know if he was alive or dead had been plaguing her all afternoon. Once presented with a way to find out her answers, she had little patience for anyone else.

"I got him out." Amy rushed back to her side, sensing how strung tight her emotions were. She quickly reassured her, by clasping her hands and easing her back down into her chair. As her princess looked ready to leap right out of her own skin with the agitation of not knowing the truth.

"He was carrying the body of a young girl in his arms when he left." Mina frowned sadly, deflating heavily onto the couch.

"That would be Mika his girlfriend, she was the reason he went to the Arena. The serum had been going around campus and all the high school kids who ascended were kidnapped by the mob. Who wanted them to disappear before attracting suspicion, they were being used for gambling. He remembers you, Sere. " Endymion explained, moving to the island to take a beer from Kane. He needed to take the edge off the tension he felt in the room as well.

"Oh...god..." Serenity face was shocked at first then crumpled into despair, thinking about what her little brother must be going through right now. Understanding all to well, the agony of mourning someone you love. But to remember all the trauma that Beryl had put him through..he must be completely devastated.

She pressed trembling hands to her mouth, wanting to contain her sobs. Her face paled and an icy dread crawled up from her belly, coursing like wildfire down her limbs. Instantly gripped with a need to rush to his side, to comfort him in anyway she could. Mina who had sat herself down on the couch, leaned forward and placed a gentle restraining hand on her jumping leg. Wanting to soothe her and settle her ever increasing anxiety.

Serenity turned to find the honey blonde staring at her with deep sympathy, her soft blue eyes moist with shared tears.

"He would have headed back to Osaka, Mika's family would be there and he would want to bury her properly." Serenity interjected before Mina could say anything. Raye gave her a small smile of understanding, leaning forward from her seat on the couch next to Mina and squeezed her leg.

"Good, then I'm going!" Serenity jumped up from the chair, slinging her pack over her shoulder.

"Not alone your not!" Endymion stated, his eyes burning with challenge.

"Going were?" Rini chimed in as she entered the galley kitchen, closing the laundry room door behind her. A small pile of dry clothes folded neatly in her arms, wearing her pink hoody and overly large jean jacket.

"Hello...there?" Lita greeted her, turning in her chair on the opposite side of the smashed coffee table.

Rini paid them all a weak, half hearted wave as she breezed through the living room not really wanting to be the center of attention.

"That was Rini, the youngest Soldier to survive the massacre at Ido's mansion." Serenity offered, as the teen disappeared down the hall.

"I'm missing a whole lot of back story, aren't I" Lita demanded gently, with a knowing smile.

"Last time we saw you Sere, you were dead." Amy spoke softly, leaning against the front wall of the living room with her arms crossed.

"I was dead for a while, Beryl stole my Genesis and my body." Serenity licked her front teeth, before nervously retelling all that had happened to her since they parted. Her fury at Beryl had long since smoldered into ash, leaving only pity and understanding in its wake. There was far to much history between them. Far to many layers of pain, resentments and hatred encased their souls. To the point that their relationship could never be quantified as merely being rivals, or even enemies any more.

Several uncomfortable minutes later, Mina was the first to speak.

"So your human now, Rini's some how absorbed you Genesis State from Beryl, after Darien killed her. Darien linked with his ancient crystal and now his first life as Prince Endymion has resurfaced." She clarified trying to wrap her mind around everything.

Kane merely polished off his third beer, with a flourish. Slamming the can against his forehead and belching loudly.

Drawing everyones attention all at once.

Endymion smiled nervously, continuing to take small sips from his can.

Hollywood confiscated the rest of the cans, giving Kane a frustrated scowl.

"This is serious." he pointed out, wanting to shame the man for his lack of tact.

Lita stared at him with open disgust now wondering what in the world she had been thinking back at the Arena. How could she ever entertain such romantic thoughts over such a boorish man.

Kane snarled in contempt at Hollywood then stormed out the living room, slamming the balcony door closed as he hunched over the cement railing to brood. He was having a hard time handling all of this and he knew he wasn't dealing with it all that well.

"You will have to excuse, Neville. He is having a hard time with all of this. " Hollywood explained with a patient tone. Understanding how difficult change was to Kane. He liked things to be simple, to be comfortable and always in his control. The last few days had been anything but and he was a raging mess of emotions right now.

"Neville..." Tiger snickered. "Whats your real name then?"

"Kevin." Hollywood stated dryly. Arching an eyebrow to inquire about Tiger's true name. "And you Tigers-eye?" He shot back pointedly.

"I don't remember, after I changed into a beast. All my human memories seemed to have faded away. I'm a clean slate now." Tiger responded, with a shrug.

"Tigers-eye!" Endymion exclaimed, as a sudden understanding coursed like liquid fire through his whole body. Cursing his own stupidity, if he hadn't been so self absorbed in his own problems he would have figured it all out. It was intolerable to him to have a man who wanted his Serenity dead to be welcomed among his own court. His lack of vigilance had allowed an untrustworthy person into their midst. He would remedy his mistake swiftly. Endymion's wrath was a tangible thing, dark and ferocious as he lunged for him.

Tiger felt the man's sudden threat, with a surge adrenaline shooting through out his body, but he was still to slow to

react. As Endymion's Genesis state took hold with his unbridled fury. Tossing his beer aside, while grabbing a large butcher knife that had been discarded on top of the island after cleaning up lunch. With incredible speed, strength and dexterity, he twisted one of Tiger's arms behind his back. Locking him into submission while he pressed the blade of the knife against his throat.

Everyone reacted with cries of fear and astonishment. If it was possible Serenity had grown even more pale, standing frozen behind the couch. The waves of malice emanating off of Endymion was intense. The cold fury in his eyes burning into Tiger's own startled gaze, the blade pressed firmly against his neck, as he was ready to kill him.

Endymion was seething, his breath hissing out from clenched teeth. If he could he would have gnashed them like a lion's at the man throat. Torn at the flesh and ripped open his throat. His need to protect his Princess, was far to powerful. The very essence of who he was, now pulsing through his veins. He had trusted this man and all this time he was the beast man that had been trying to kill Serenity in the park. This honourable persona he had been showing could all be an act to get close to her and slit her throat. He would never allow him near her again!

Endymion was furious at himself, at being manipulated, his trust being betrayed. Feeling even more foolish that he hadn't figured it all out before. It was so obvious...he had called himself Tiger. He should have known! How much of an oblivious ass could he be!

"What the hell..." Tiger growled, not even attempting to fight. Aware that Endymion could over power him and out maneuver any attempt to break free from his grasp. He was no match for this man and he wasn't blinded by pride enough to try and escape.

"You tried to kill her! Why did you help me escape...Why are you fighting with us, now?" Endymion snarled into his ear.

Demanding answers.

"I owe her my life." Tiger growled back, glaring sideways at Endymion. As the Prince propelled him into the front foyer and rammed his chest viciously against the front door. "I would die for her." Tiger finished, his voice was honest and bold. Refusing to be bowed by Endymion's fierce glare, he met his glower with a stern, unblinking stare. Desperate to get Endymion to understand his feelings for her, before he slit his throat.

Understanding, that Darien was just protecting her. He felt no ill feelings towards the man's assault at all. He had hunted Serenity like prey for nearly a year now. Driven by an unrelenting obsession to taste her blood, to feel her heart beat its last in his own taloned hand. This sudden reversal of heart deserved some scrutiny. But that was when he had been a beast, with the heart and mind of an animal. Serenity had given him a second chance at being human, with her dieing breath she had used her powers to heal him. He would spend the rest of his life in her debt.

It took a moment for Endymion to absorb Tiger's answer. So blinded by his rage his honest words of loyalty didn't register right away. Tiger breathed a sigh of relief. As it seemed to be a good enough answer, when Endymion pulled the knife away and leaned his weight off of him. Allowing Tiger just enough space to push himself off of the door, but not enough space to allow him to turn and face him.

"I will not tolerate traitors." He hissed in Tiger's ear. Shielding him out of view from the others, keeping him caged against the door. In the shadows of the entryway.

"I would never betray her." Tiger growled, backed up against the front door. He was trapped, coiled against the wood ready to spring forward and attack if Endymion made any moves to grapple him again.

His words were telling, Endymion narrowed his eyes. Knowing he may not betray her, but he had no issues with betraying anybody else. How far could he be trusted? After Beryl, Endymion had a hard time trusting the goodness of anyone. That inherent lack of trust and the need for people to earn it before he decided to care about them had been deeply ingrained in his psyche. Every one of his incarnations had a cynical, almost jaded view of the world.

"Endymion!" Serenity raced into the small entryway, wrapping her smaller arms around his powerful bicep, of the arm that held the large butcher blade levelled in threat towards Tiger.

She stared up at his enraged face, pleadingly. "What are you doing..." she questioned. "Let him go!" She cried in alarm, pulling on his arm trying to get him to lower his weapon.

"I don't trust you..." Endymion spat at Tiger, ignoring Serenity's pleading. All the good and honourable characteristics he once believed were a part of this man were tainted by the knowledge that he had wanted his beloved dead. As Tiger finally twisted himself around to face him properly. Endymion lashed out with a hand, wrapping his fingers around Tiger's neck. The sudden lunge sending Serenity stumbling backwards against the wall. Endymion pressed the knife harder against the man's throat, his mouth tight in a hard murderous scowl. He needed to make damn sure this man knew that he was not a man to be trifled with. That if he even had thoughts about betraying him even slightly, that he would hunt him down and slit his throat with out regret.

Serenity cried out again, pulling on his arm. When she couldn't budge his arm, Serenity darted under his arm and in front of Tiger. Using herself as a living shield against Endymion who looked ready to kill.

"Leave him be...Darien." She wailed, when he never responded to her plea. She tried again with a new tactic, inclining her chin upward defiantly. Locking his eyes with hers in a heated glare.

Endymion's mouth twitched up in a half smile at the sound of his latest incarnations name. Wondering if he had gotten through to her.

"Do you honestly believe I am your Darien...or are you just trying to appeal to my mercy." Endymion asked, the rage in his eyes cooling, but just slightly. As he slowly pulled the knife away from Tiger's neck.

Serenity released a deep breath, casting her eyes down answering him wordlessly. Tiger gripped her shoulder's and gently pulled her aside.

"This is not your fight, Serenity." He gave her a small encouraging smile, his eyes holding a hard edge. As she stared back at him with fright. "I do not want a woman fighting my battles, this is the first time I have been a man in over a year. I don't want to be emasculated in less then forty-eight hours, that's just to embarrassing to deal with, Okay." he offered with bitter humour.

She nodded bleakly, then rose on her tip toes before leaving. Whispering vehemently into Endymion's ear. "You hurt him and I will never forgive you...Mamoru!" She hissed, using his endearment like a curse word. Before storming back into the living room to sling her pack angrily over her shoulder.

The vicious anger in his most beloved name instantly forced his submission. Ultimately he was her protector, now and always. Attacking someone she cared about, wasn't protecting her it was only going to hurt her. In all honesty, this was about his bruised ego, his pride. It had nothing to do with protecting her. He suddenly felt shamed for lashing out against Tiger. Who since the day he had met him, had not shown a shred of disloyalty. He had been fighting along side him to keep her safe.

"I am not that beast anymore." Tiger advised, his voice solemn. "Please, Let me prove to you that I only want to keep her safe."

Endymion eyes were hard, easing his grip on the knife handle as he retreated back to the island. Slamming the knife back onto the counter. His face still flushed with anger, blinking rapidly to clear the haze of malice still obscuring this thoughts. Taking one deep breath after another, trying desperately to reclaim his beloved calm. Facing the window, with a dark scowl. He brushed his finger's through his hair roughly. Needing a few moments refocus himself away from the rage that had consumed him. All of this emotional turmoil was driving him nuts. Serenity's hot and cold routine this afternoon was confusing the hell out of him. He didn't know how he was going to ease himself back into her life. How he was going to make her understand. Trust the love he knew she felt for him.

Tiger had wanted her dead only forty-eight hours ago and now they were the best of friends. She had rushed to his defence and he had professed his vow to protect her. As if he was her Knight...her protector...It made no fucking sense! While he...her true love, her soul mate...she treated with disdain and distrust. As if he was a total stranger...It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. She was so angry with him for what she felt he had done to Darien.

But he was still Darien...Dammit!

Ultimately he had to admit that he was jealous of Tiger. He felt like he was being replaced. Tiger held a piece of her heart, a piece that had once been his. While she held him at arms length, as if he was just an acquaintance. Erecting an boundary of polite distance he could not cross, refusing to allow him into her heart even an inch. He needed to fix things between them. But first he needed to calm down, because if he didn't get his anger and frustration under control, he was going to end up beating the shit out of Tiger.

The last few minutes had been intense, everyone was now strung tight. Glancing nervously amongst themselves and the now brooding prince at the living room window.

"Beryl was working for Black Widow. Who is building an army to conquer the world." Serenity quickly drew everyones attention back onto her. Drawing them back into the issues at hand.

"What kind of army?" Lita inquired.

"The holding cells back at the Aquarium..." Amy mussed. "There were enough cells to hold a small army of Onii...perhaps?"

Serenity paled at the thought of her mother leading an army of enslaved monsters.

"Who is Black Widow?" Mina asked, "Last I remember we thought she was Beryl, an assassin sent to kill you." She directed towards Serenity with a curt nod of her head.

Serenity was silent for a moment needing to collect her thoughts.

"She's my mother." She finally admitted, with a resigned sigh.

"Ikuko's alive!" Raye jumped to her feet, hope flashing in her eyes.

"No..." Serenity responded quickly. "She's my birth mother..."

"Queen Selene..." Raye muttered, "So she was reincarnated along with all of us?" Everyone was staring awe struck at her. Wondering how she knew that?

"No." Endymion stated, turning from the window. His face once more a mask of stern resolve. "She freed me from the cells in the Arena. From what she told me, she has been alive since the beginning. Forced to watch her daughter jump from one tragic life to another never finding peace. Beryl said she wants to reclaim her kingdom and reign over the Earth.

He rubbed the back of his head, trying to relieve some of the tension there. A dull throbbing had started to pulse at base of his neck as he felt a stress headache coming on.

"She is immortal then." Hollywood interjected. It was then Kane wandered back in from the balcony, to stand next to Jed with his arms folded. His expression was still sporting that disgruntled frown, but his eyes held a reluctant acceptance. That this was the way his life was turning and he needed to get on board or bail. He had chosen to board this crazy train and see it through to the end. He had missed a bit, but didn't really care to be in the know right now. He needed to absorb all of this far more slowly, so he hung back listening but not engaging in the conversation.

"She was a Goddess." Endymion stated. "At the time, the White Moon Kingdom was benevolent, a part of the God's realm of the Silver Millennium. She watched over the Earth, along with all the planetary Gods. Each planet was ruled by a God or Goddess, to which we prayed to for guidance and bounty. We in turn worshiped the Moon and her Queen, shrines were built in her honour along with all the other Gods. The people of earth would travel from all corner's to lay offering upon the alter's of the Gods Shines, or seek guidance from the priests and monks of the Godly orders." Endymion took a deep breath.

"In my time, no one had seen anyone from the Realm of the Gods for thousands of years. Even though it had become taboo for the Gods to come down to the mortal plane. The people of earth still believed that she and her council were protecting us. Then one very curious and mischievous Princess ran away from the Gods Realm. Finding herself in the Earth Kingdom of Elysian. Were she met me." He smiled knowingly at Serenity, who bit down on her lower lip. Understanding that what he was saying was true, but her memories of that time were still uncertain and foggy. But the intensity of her feelings for him surged through her like a wildfire. "We fell in love, but our forbidden relationship caused a rift between the Gods and Mortal Realms. With the help of a jealous Maiden from my own Kingdom and the dark power of a demon known as Metallia. Our realms went to war. Princess Serenity defied her mother's wishes to cut all ties to the Earth. She fought for our right to love one another until her dieing breath." He finished sadly, trailing his eyes away from Serenity mournfully.

Serenity sucked in a cold breath. "My mother killed me?" She whispered brokenly, as a painful ache began to throb inside her chest. The harshness of that reality was just to hard to deal with. Knowing that someone who was supposed to love you unconditionally would...or could just take your life as if it didn't matter. It hurt...it hurt like hell.

"I don't know what happened...exactly. That is what I figured happened." Endymion stated sombrely. "I died before you, trying to protect you from her."

"Then how do you know I died!" She ranted, balling her hands into fists at her sides. Infuriated that he would make her think her own mother would murder her in cold blood. The very thought had nearly ripped out her heart. How could he be so cruel to even insinuate such a brutal slaying.

"Because your soul is trapped in this cycle of rebirth along with everyone else from both the five kingdoms of Earth and the Silver Millennium." He countered, tapping his finger in agitation on the marble countertop of the island.

Serenity never responded, but stormed over to him. Standing rigidly before him. Defying his assessment with a heated glare. He met her eyes briefly, confronting the hurt he had caused. The denial she was clinging onto, to keep herself from crying. Swallowing hard, he gave her a sad, sympathetic look then turned away. Retreating from her pain, unable to bear it any longer. He was a bastard for saying it so bluntly, but it was the truth. He knew it down deep in his very soul...Queen Selene had slaughtered her whole court including her daughter. He didn't know how their souls had escaped her wrath, why they were being reborn here on earth. But it wasn't her doing...she had wanted them all obliterated from existence!

Everyone was silent for a long time, lost to their own thoughts. Reviewing all that they have been told and slowly coming to grips with the outrageous truth of their origins.

"What's with the trashed hard drive?" Jed asked, casting Endymion an curious look.

Serenity sighed again, cutting her eyes away from the Prince to regard the rest of them. "Rini caught Beryl downloading something off of it for the Queen." She couldn't seem to call the woman her mother again. After everything they had been talking about it hurt to much to think of her that way. It was better to distance herself as much as she could. Honestly she had nothing concrete to cling to with concerns to Queen Selene, when she thought of her mother. Ikuko's kind face and tender heart came to mind. In this life..the only one she truly remembered vividly. Ikuko had been her mother and she decided to cling to that, it kept her sane.

When suddenly she remembered the young girl who had never returned from Darien's bedroom. She glanced down the hall nervously. Then quietly took her leave to check on Rini, wondering if she was crying again in the solitude of the bedroom. If she needed her in some way, for more comforting. At this point she was so wrung out emotionally, she needed a break from everyone too. Especially Endymion.

Endymion watched her leave, his heart torn between wanting to go after her and knowing that she needed her space. He couldn't push things, he had to take it slow, be patient and hope that their love was stronger then her doubts.

"Ok, let me take a look at it then." Amy brushed her hands together eagerly, walking up to the island to survey the damage of the outer plastic container.

"Well all this drama is making me hungry. " Mina admitted, "Get your order's in now, cause I'm going out!" She headed for the entry hall to put her shoes back on. Raye followed quietly after her, "I'll help you get the food." She needed a breather and some fresh air too. The condo was way to crowded and stuffy with all the tension in the air.

Hollywood searched through the kitchen for a pad of paper and a pen. While Tiger stood some what ostracized against the wall beside the archway to the narrow foyer. As everyone bustled around discussing what the girls were going to cart home for food. Their ease with each other, was natural and inspiring. It held a deeper connection of friendship that he couldn't lay claim too. His eyes drew inward reflecting over everything Endymion had said, wondering where he fit in. He was a complete blank slate, he might not have any past lives that were tied to Serenity or any of the other's.

He glanced up from his self review when Endymion wandered past his line of sight across the living room, heading down the hall to check on Serenity.

He followed behind at a discrete distance, subdued by doubts. That perhaps he didn't belong with these people who seemed to have such a powerful destiny.

Endymion found her out on the balcony beyond the bedroom, leaning over the cement railing surveying the foliage below and the stretch of badly lit sidewalk beyond. Self-recrimination burning brightly in her eyes. Blaming herself for Rini's rash behaviour.

"I don't have time for this." She hissed, punching the railing in retaliation.

"Did Rini take off, then?" He inquired softly as he approached her.

"Yeah, the clothes I gave her are all tossed on your bed. She must have gotten dressed in her old things and jumped to the fire escape just there." She pointed off to the right, at the edge of the balcony were an iron platform was mounted between this condo and the one set beside it. It was slightly bent, the hinges having loosened after received a hard impact earlier.

"I need to find her, she is barely fourteen she shouldn't be wandering around Tokyo late at night. Who knows what kind of trouble she is bound to find out there." She groused, "What is she thinking!" Serenity nearly screamed in frustration.

"That she just lost her whole family and she's not ready or willing to get close to another group of people." Tiger interjected, raising his eyebrows knowingly. As he gently intruded upon their private time.

Serenity's ire cooled instantly, casting her gaze pleadingly out over the lights of the city. "I want to be there for her. But I need to get to Osaka and find my brother. He might have all the answers, as to where the Queen has taken my crystal and perhaps how to stop this coming war." She moaned, rubbing her temples needing to figure out how she was going to deal with these two problems at once. She had to pick between two kids who meant the world to her.

"Dammit!" She cried and punched the cement railing hard again. So infuriated with everything, she couldn't seem to think clearly. She scraped her knuckles upon impact, the burning pain of ripped skin a soothing balm for her embroiled thoughts. Staring miserably down at the blood now seeping from the torn skin.

"Sere..." Endymion was mortified she had just hurt herself, snatching up her hand in his and quickly blowing and kissing away the pain. It was purely instinct for him to try and take away her pain, but it only exasperated her anger.

She ripped her hand away from his lips scornfully, "Stop coddling me. I know that was stupid. I'm just so fed up with everything!" She huffed, shaking out the tingles from her ruined hand, as she paced away to the side of the balcony unable to met his eyes. Knowing how hurt and confused she was making him. "It is going to take me days to track her down, I don't have that kind of time." She whimpered.

"I could track her." Tiger offered, "But it would take time." He reminded apologeticly.

"If she is hurting as badly as I feel she is. Time isn't something she has, she is going to do something reckless I just know it." Serenity reasoned, having a very painful inner debate with her options as she pondered her feet and nibbled her lower lip. A nervous action Darien knew very well, it was something Sere did when plagued by very bad thoughts.

"If she has your Genesis State, as soon as she transforms it will lead me straight to her. If she does get into trouble it will be the first thing she does." Endymion noted, wanting to assuage her worry. She didn't want him close right now. He could deal, but he would still always try to alleviate the burden she always bore. "I will go after her." he offered with a confident smile.

He turned to leave, wanting to grab a coat before he headed out into the night to search Azabu. Resolute to give her the space she so craved, even though it felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest. He hadn't seen her in ten thousand years...and she wanted nothing to do with him. In many ways she resented his very pressence and that hurt the most.

She quietly grabbed his hand as he passed. Endymion stopped instantly, staring down at the token affection in surprise.

It was the first time she had reached for him lovingly since the change.

"Thank you, Endymion." She gave him a warm smile of gratitude but offered nothing else.

He frowned for a moment. "I like Mamoru, I think it fits me better in this life." He added with a soft smile, brushing his fingertips down her cheek lovingly. He no longer wanted to be referred to as Endymion or by Darien. Neither of those names seemed to fit him anymore. "I have always needed to protected you princess, I think that is what has always dominated my soul. Even when it had been shattered long ago, every man who has ever loved you has been driven to protect you. I am no different now, that I am whole again." He rested his hands on her shoulder's, reluctant to draw her into his embrace. Holding her stiffly at arms length instead, not wanting to overwhelm or scare her. She had erected a boundary between them and he would respect that. He would be patient and have faith that in time she would want to be with him again.

Serenity gasped, understanding to a certain extent what had happened to Darien. It was still to overwhelming and she wasn't ready to deal with it yet. She quickly pushed her need to respond to his affection away. She needed space, with all the memories of her past lives crowding and waring inside of her. Since bonding with her own crystal, she knew she was becoming more then just Usagi herself. But the change for her was slower, almost stagnating now at this hazy, half formed state of ascendance.

Darien had reclaimed all his memories so easily, ascending to his true form as Prince Endymion with out fear or regret. Serenity wasn't so relaxed about the whole thing, wondering if that was why her memories as the Princess were still so murky? Perhaps she was unconsciously fighting the change for some reason?

"I need to talk to my brother." She shielded the fear and guilt in her eyes with a resilient smile. Patting Endymion awkwardly on his biceps needing him to release her. Endy nodded briefly and sighed, curling his hands at his sides allowing her to leave the balcony.

"Take someone with you?" He offered.

"No, I have to do this alone." She countered, passing through the glass balcony door swiftly.

"It's not safe." He braced his hands on the doorframe calling out to her.

She laughed to herself, it was a weak sarcastic sound. "I've found recently that there is inherent risk in everything we do. If something was to happen, I can deal. Ido trained me to fight even with out my powers. I am not as helpless, as I once was." She called back, giving him a curt wave.

"When will you be back?" He called out his voice sounding far to desperate then he liked.

"In a couple of days...I have business to attend to as well." She sighed heavily, if Beryls little band of rebels were still hunting down their last targets. She needed to close down her club and erase all traces of herself in Osaka. She did not want anything to lead those maniacs to innocent people, that they might use against her.

A thump alerted him to Tiger's pressence again. Endymion turned from watching Serenity walk through his bedroom headed for the front door, to find the red haired wild man now crouched on the cement railing.

Judging his leap to the canopy of tree's below. "Were are you off to then?" He approached him with a commanding aura.

"To hunt down the little rabbit?" He shot back defiantly.

"Not anymore, I want you to watch over Serenity and keep me informed." Endymion dug into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out his cell phone. Tossing the small device at Tiger, who caught it effortlessly with one hand.

"She's heading to Osaka tonight, I want you with her. I can find Rini just fine by myself." His eyes were hard, broaching no argument.

Tiger merely nodded. "She is not going to like that."

"Do you care?" Endy shot back.

"Not in the least, your majesty." He offered respectfully. "Her safety means everything to me." Tiger grinned, then leaped from the balcony. Falling away into the branches, to wait for Serenity when she exited the building. He would deal with her indignant refusal of his pressence in private away from the others. She wasn't going to be able to lose him this time, he would follow her into hell if needs be.

Endymion entered the living room refusing to look at anyone, brooding darkly at his plodding feet as he headed towards the front door. He had a city to scour tonight, at least it would keep his mind busy. So not to dwell on his worries over Serenity and how she was distancing herself. This reunion wasn't going anything like he had wanted.

Slipping on his worn white Adidas sneaker's and throwing his least favourite plastic black and white track coat over his shoulder's. He slowly raised his eyes, dreading the sympathetic looks he was sure to get after Serenity walked out. Finding to his relief everyone was too busy dealing with their own problems. Noticing Lita was out on the living room balcony speaking in hushed tones with Kane. Their conversation looked tense, as she waved her arms and pointed at him bluntly. Kane for his part was ignoring her completely, busy downing another beer and staring moodily off down the street. It was only infuriating Lita more.

Raye and Mina were absent, while Amy was completely absorbed at the island dismantling the computer case. Zac sat in his wheelchair nearby, holding a metal tool box in his lap. Hollywood was leaning against the island, texting on his phone again.

Everyone was ignoring him completely, until Jed appeared before him. He clapped a hand companionably on his shoulder. "Don't sweat it Lois, over the whole Tiger...Tigers-eye thing." He cracked a half smile, his eyes dancing.

Endymion gave him a strange look.

Jed chuckled..."You know Lois Lane, she was totally oblivious to who Superman was? Even though it was obvious!"

Endymion was still looking at him strangely not catching the reason for this pedantic little pep talk.

Jed sighed and created a pair of glasses with his finger's over his eyes. "Clark Kent." Then pulled his finger's away. "Superman!"

When he still wasn't getting an reaction he sighed in frustration. "Com'on, man anyone could have figure that out, it was the worst disguise ever!" Jed's voice was getting louder and more aggravated.

Hollywood never said a word, he just walked up behind Jed, his eyes never leaving his phone screen and cuffed the shorter blonde upside the head.

"Ouch..." Jed growled rubbing the back of his head. Turning around to confront Hollywood pointing silently at the nearest chair. He huffed and stomped away to flop into the chair muttering. "I was just trying to lighten the air, the tension in here is stressing me out."

The platinum blonde man didn't say a word but put on his shoes. Intending to go out with Endymion and not wanting to discuss it. He opened the front door and offered with a cordial hand for Endymion to proceed him. Endymion nodded and smiled, it would be nice to have company tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: SamSara**

 **Serenity**

"I can't believe Endymion sent you to babysit me!" She hurled back at Tiger, as she sat beside the window of the bullet train. Scowling out the rolling landscape slowly being consumed by the heavy shadows of dusk.

Tiger shrugged, slouching his taller frame into the seat beside her.

"If you wish to see it that way then fine, I wish to see it differently." he commented dryly, staring sombrely at Serenity as she turned with an impatient huff, and an accusing arch of an eyebrow. Wanting to hear his assessment of what he was doing tagging along with her. She had managed to sneak out of the condo with out little resistance from her girlfriends. Mina and Raye had left to get food, Amy was totally absorbed in dismantling the computer while Lita was busy on the phone out on the balcony. She had nearly made it away when Tiger had jogged up behind her as she climbed aboard a transit bus headed for downtown.

"I haven't had a true friend in a very long time and its nice to spend time with one. I care about you Serenity and I worry. It's not like I don't trust that you can take care of yourself. Its the other bastards out there hunting you that I don't trust. I promised Endymion I would protect you and I am a man of my word. I have done many horrible things, compromised my dignity and my conscience in Tomoe's War. But my honour still remains. To allow you to go running off on your own with out back up right now. Would be the height of stupidity. And you know it! " He ranted.

Serenity rolled her eyes, she knew in the end a mere human woman was no match for highly trained soldiers or rouge Genesis Born. The remaining sister's may want her dead, after Daiki had killed Jun. She wouldn't stand a chance against their combined powers. Then there was Randy and his agents. If they were still out to exterminate all of Ido's Soldiers she would stand no chance to evade or protect herself from an entire army. They would be relentless and gun her down without remorse. Trained to follow order's to the bitter end, to kill without conscience if needs be. Something Ido had tried desperately to teach her...

"Now that I am free, I intend to live my life to the fullest." Tiger grinned, reaching around her shoulder's with one arm and giving her a curt if warm hug."Lets try and enjoy each other's company, cause girl. Your stuck with me!" He vowed cheerfully.

Serenity laughed softly at that, giving him that honest smile he had been working for.

"Fine, but when I find my brother I want you at a discrete distance. I really want some privacy when we talk. He doesn't know you, and I doubt he will open up to me if your around." She stated.

"I can deal with that." Tiger nodded.

Serenity turned back to the window, her smile vanishing into a bleak, pensive frown.

Endymion had stated he was remembering her...she worried about how angry he might be with her. The blame he must feel towards her for not saving him from Beryl's wrath. Perhaps he hated her? How awkward it would be to try and rebuild their sibling bonds after five years apart? Or perhaps her absence had atrophied that close connection they once had.

She might not have any hope to revive it? They might be complete strangers now? So many uncertainties weighed heavily upon her mind. Twisting her stomach into painful knots.

 **Mina and Raye**

"Talk to me, baby." Mina coaxed, keeping her eyes on the wet streets. Refusing to look at the guilty, if stricken look, Raye was casting her. They had been lover for years, their bond to each other having gone soul deep. Mina knew she had been dealing with confusing, overwhelming thoughts since awakening in the car back on the coast. That she had been suffering silently ever since, trying to sort it all out. She had given her space, knowing intimately how she coped with stress. She would wait patiently until she was ready to open up about it. But time wasn't something they had right now.

"I remember it all..." Raye whispered huskily, tears streaming down her face as she turned away to stare out at the window. Watching the rain draw river's down the glass, meditating upon their pathways as she drew courage to finally

unload everything onto her true loves heart.

Mina shot her a startled look, then nodded mutely. She had surmised as much when she saw how easily Raye seemed to follow what Endymion was talking about in their far past.

"Remember it all as in...all of what?" Mina sighed, her voice tight. Needled that she had to practically pull every shred of information out of her.

"I remember our glorious lives within the Silver Millennium, our tragic deaths and all my rebirths for the last few thousand years." Raye breathed, it sounded so insane when spoken aloud. Clamping a hand over her mouth to contain a sob of overwhelming emotion that wanted to escape. It was all just to much to deal with.

Mina reached out with one hand and gripped her thigh, reassuring her that she could handle it. She would be strong enough for both of them if needs be. What ever was tormenting her so much, in her memories, they would tackle it together. They would face whatever fate that lay in the near future side by side.

"Why do I not remember anything past Serena?" Mina's brow furrowed in contemplation. Feeling if she just thought hard enough perhaps a stray memory of a past life would emerge.

"The catatonic state I went into after being consumed by my power's resurrected all my forgotten memories." Raye grimaced, holding Mina's hand with both of her's and gripping tight.

"So I basicly have to let my Genesis consume me and hope like hell I don't die. Then I can join this elite reincarnation club, you, Amy and Endymion are a part of?" Mina spat back bitterly. Hating the trauma that Raye had to endure just to resurrect her past selves. Overwhelmed with a gamut of unjust feelings over the whole matter. Ranging from envy that Raye had somehow evolved beyond her plodding mortal frame of mind. To see, to understand and recall thousands of years of memories. It had changed her in so many ways. She seemed far more spiritually in tune with the universe now. Her very aura seemed more powerful, as if she had ascended into a higher state of being. She had evolved into a truly magnificent woman, wise and enlightened.

Her awe falling into pity that she now had to deal with understanding things far beyond normal comprehension. While Mina still felt like a stupid, irrational human being who was being left behind. She was jealous and angry at herself for feeling that way. At the whole wretched situation that now seemed to be pulling them apart.

"I don't want you to have to endure what I did, just to reclaim your whole self." Raye brushed her hand down her cheek tenderly, swiping her thumb under her eye to wipe away an angry tear.

"Well I do!" Mina shot back, as more tears fell. "We are about to go into another war, that I know nothing about!"

"I could tell you all that I know?" Raye offered helpfully, offering her a weak smile. "If that would calm your mind?"

"Nothing is going to calm me down, Raye." Mina cast her dark look, "I just killed a bunch of monster's last night, who Sere turned back into humans?" She laughed harshly. "We murdered innocent people last night...I am not a soldier...I'm a college student for fucks sakes!" She snarled.

"You were a Guardian...the head of Princess Serenity's personal guard and the strongest of us all." Raye leaned her head against her shoulder. Wrapping an arm over her chest and holding her tight.

Mina blinked in awe, so poleaxed by that statement she was unable to keep driving. She veered the corvette into an empty parking lot of a Seven Eleven deep in Minato-ku.

"I want to know everything." She turned resolutely to Raye, her blue eyes serious. Raye took a deep breath and began to relive her first life. Speaking in reverent, hushed tones about the Goddess of Venus. The head of the Princess's honour guard and who had loved their princess the most. Who had tried desperately at first to reign in her rebellious charges nature to defy her mother and sneak away to see the earth prince. Then to aid her in seeing her true love, when she was convinced that their love was far to strong to be stopped and forcing them apart would be an even greater tragedy.

How she valiantly tried to keep the Realm of the Gods from going to war against the mortal plane of Earth, when tension broke out between the kingdoms. How she fought until her dieing breath to try and get the Queen to see reason. But something had been wrong with the Queen, her fury at her daughter had been far beyond anything they had ever witnessed before. A darkness had bloomed deep inside of her very soul. Brought on by her daughter's betrayal and continued rebellion. Her wrath had raged out of control and she ended up destroying everyone and everything that she had once loved.

 **Endymion and Hollywood**

They had canvased the wet, cold streets from Asabu to Minato-ku, retreating into a small trendy coffee shop when the damp had seeped deep into their bones making their bodies ache. Warming up in a quaint wooden booth near the front doors. Endymion found himself watching the young people visiting at local tables curiously. They were all hunched over their phones, typing away. Their companions nodding and smiling, even chuckling softly as they focused upon their own devices. Not a single word was being spoken between them but they were still communicating as if telepathic?

"The art of conversation is truly dead." He muttered pointedly at Hollywood. Who had been busy on his own phone for most of the evening.

"Huh..." Hollywood glanced up, only hearing half of what Endymion had said. Then with a polite clearing of his throat he finally noticed how preoccupied he had been. Setting his phone aside, he took a small sip from his black coffee.

"Who are you so adamantly talking too?" Endy questioned, as he to took a drink from his plain white ceramic mug.

"My boyfriend back in the states." Hollywood shrugged. "He worries and since we are thousands of miles apart right now. I like to keep him updated as to how I'm doing."

Endymion raised a surprised eyebrow.

"Your gay..." he stated in an astounded breath. All those years together training in their home town and then the wild days in Vegas. He had thought Hollywood was as hetero as the rest of them. But he had always been a quiet self contained sort of person. So his alternate life style had been completely off the radar.

"Have been for most of my life." Hollywood grinned.

"Never saw it." Endy chuckled, his face wrinkled with confusion. Reviewing each and every memory he had with Hollywood, as a slow realization dawned on him. When he looked back, Endy realized that the man had never taken a girl home from the bar. His flirting with women had been rather shallow almost polite. A mask, just to fit in with the rest of them. He had not been serious about any of the gorgeous women they had all fooled around with then.

"So I wasn't gay in my life time with you, sire?" Hollywood took another small drink, relishing the scalding liquid as the conversation was becoming rather awkward.

"No, far from it." Endy smiled weakly. "You actually were quite in love with one of the princess's guardians."

"Really?" Hollywood sounded politely curious and not condescending at all. Endy knew that Kane and perhaps the rest of his gym mates felt he had gone insane with all this past life stuff. Hollywood seemed to be the only one accepting it at face value.

"So how honest have you been with your partner?" Endy asked softly.

Hollywood merely smiled knowingly. "Considering how insane my life has become in the last couple of days. I have regrettably been rather vague about what has been going on. He knows I am safe and doing well, I have left it at that. Other then that my messages have been rather shallow statements of love and devotion. I hope to be by his side soon." His words were telling.

Silence reigned between them for a long time. While Endy went back to his people watching, Hollywood glancing mildly at his phone anticipating a text.

"I wish I could remember that time?" Hollywood finally stated wistfully. "I have always felt a piece of myself was missing, perhaps those memories were that piece." He mused.

"It is strange, so many of you should be whole by now?" Endy observed. "It's like something is holding you all back."

"I wonder if has something to do with this Immortal Queen of the Moon?" Hollywood offered helpfully.

"She should have all her memories back by now..." Endy muttered, his face falling into a pensive frown so lost in his own thoughts he had totally ignored Hollywoods last statement.

"Sere?" Hollywood stated with out emotion.

"Yes..." Endy sighed. "I had always believed we would wake together."

"Is that why she was acting so irritated with you?" Hollywood added politely, when in reality she had been down right mean with him. But things had been tense back at the condo so he kept it all in perspective.

"Because her own memories haven't all returned." Endy sighed. "She doesn't understand what happened to me."

"I don't really understand what happened to you?" Hollywood chuckled, giving him a lopsided smile.

Endy rolled his eyes and laughed.

"But you are dealing with it much better then most." Endy countered.

"I am used to dealing with things that are out of the ordinary, because I am far from ordinary myself." Hollywood stated proudly.

"To true." Endy raised his mug of coffee in salute. "Things have sure changed." He sighed, not with disappointment but with a resignment to it. He was neither sad or angry...just apathetic. He was merely dealing with it all.

"Well, considering we have been reborn countless times. Those thousands of lives must have affected us to such a degree that change was inevitable." Hollywood explained logically, sounding more like Spock then a human being. "We can not relive or remake the past, so dwelling there is pointless. All we can do is try to find the sweetness in every moment and seek to improve our own futures by the choices we can make now." He stated, a wise grin pulling upon his lips. "As I am no longer that Guard you once knew and you, I believe are no longer that Prince. You so vehemently state you are." He stopped and stared knowingly at him. Finding Endymion staring over the rim of his coffee mug, at him with an understanding smile, as if he too was having some sort of epiphany.

"Ever onward my friend." he stated after a bit. "Ever onward."

"So which one of the princess's guardians was I boinking?" Hollywood smirked.

Endy spit his coffee all over the table as he laughed loudly and honestly over Hollywoods choice of words.

"Boinking!" He choked out breathlessly.

"Not an eloquent term, but I believe it still fits." Hollywood regarding him with a stoic, humorous air.

Endy merely nodded then retold the tragic tale of his kingdom and his love for a Goddess who was forbidden to love a mortal man. Hollywood listened, entranced by the story. As the prince wove the various threads of each of his guards own failed romances with the princess's Guardian's. Beryl's naivety at trusting a dark entity, to help carry out her vengeance. How brutal of a price they had all paid, then the kingdoms had fallen and the darkness had swept over both realms. No one had been spared, their souls trapped within that darkness until a wish had been made.

 **Lita and Kane**

Kane glowered down at the poorly lit piece of sidewalk far below the balcony. Hunched over the railing, with his arms crossed, brooding over everything. What he had for family wasn't functional in the least. His father had taken off when he was a toddler, leaving his mother to try and care for him and his two little sisters all alone. With no formal education, her job opportunities were limited to minimum wage. The troubled streets of Dublin had raised him more then his mother and left scars on his psyche that had never faded. Then his family was transplanted briefly in a farming village in the south of Scotland, until his mom had finally raised enough money to afford to immigrate to the United States. By then he was in high school and his education in the art of street fighting already governed his life. He was a brawler, eager to fight and easy to rile up. People could set him off with a simple look, if he felt they were looking down on him or judging him. He lasted six months in Cross Roads High before being expelled, he never went back to finish his education. Got kicked out of his mother's house and took to the streets, surviving as a thug for some drug dealer down town. It was Sarge who had seen a glimmer of potential in the only thing he had ever been good at...breaking other peoples faces.

The old man had pulled him off the streets, gave him a purpose and a reason to hope for a better future. The old man had tamed the beast in him and rebuilt him into a honourable man. He was humble, never seeing himself as becoming anything more then a simple working stiff. When this life as a professional fighter came to an end, it wasn't a life long commitment. It was a temporary goal achieved. He would enjoy the accolades while they lasted. Then his plans would be to settle down in some obscure town in the States. Find a job in construction or perhaps the oil industry and hopefully raise a family. His dreams had been simple...now they had been blasted away from his reach forever.

After surviving the insanity a couple nights ago and the revelation that the true reason he was so good at fighting, was because of his past life as an elite guard for some ancient kingdom had totally spun his head around. He had a much more powerful destiny ahead of him then being just a simple man. A war was coming and he was charged to fight it, to protect this world. He had failed last time, but now he had a second chance to save it. He just had to find the courage to pick up that guantlet and become a greater man then he was now.

He had no memories of being this man...Nephrite? But he had a unconscious connection to the Princess's

Guardian...Lita. He knew with out a doubt that he had loved her then, still did. But she lived in a totally different world then he did. She was rich, well bred...a high class beauty he could never hope to keep.

Glancing up from his brooding, he found her striding out onto the balcony with her cell phone pressed to her ear.

"Greg, I am not coming back to New York right now. I need to depend on you to handle this." She sighed into the mic, leaning tiredly against the cold stone wall beside the glass door. She had been on the phone handling business for the last few hours. Returning calls and setting up meetings for next week. Her life may be spiralling out of control here in Japan, but the life she lead back in the state remained the same. She had obligations to fulfill and responsibility's to deal with. Her grandfather's financial empire would always be a weight she had to bear.

"No, Greg. I can't deal with it right now. I put you in charge for a reason. I don't have time to hold your hand right now." She rolled her eyes and groaned, thumping her head against the stone seeking solace from the stress he was shoving at her. She was thousands of miles away and still he expected her to fix the problems back home. "I know...I'm the C.E.O of the company...fine. If the old man doesn't want to deal with you anymore. I'll speak to him. Yes...I know he can be rather pig headed and set in his ways. He just wants you to acknowledge his wisdom, stroke his ego a bit. He has built that company from the ground up, its like giving up his only child to a stranger. He needs to know we will take care of his legacy. No...Greg. Go get some sleep, you sound exhausted. I'll handle it from here and give you a call back tomorrow with the details." Lita ended the call with a firm tap of her finger on the touch pad of the phone.

"Can't trust anyone to fill in for me." she grumbled.

"Heavy is the burden of those who rule the world." Kane grimaced.

"I am more like a glorified babysitter then a Queen." She countered, tucking her phone away into her jean's pocket. She had left just after supper to change out of the dirty remains of the clothes she had worn during that crazy night. Now she was clean, her hair cascading down her back in thick auburn waves. Dressed in matchstick jeans and an old black Metallica t-shirt from the 80's. She loved vintage rock band shirts, now that she was rich she could afford to buy them whenever she saw them. Her collection had started out small with a truly memorable find in the local thrift store with Sere years ago. A Gun's and Roses Hell tour concert shirt. Now her collection was rather large, having it's own special drawer back in her bedroom in her Manhattan Condo.

"I got some major conference calls to make tomorrow, I better book some time in a meeting room back at the hotel." She chewed lightly on her bottom lip for a bit, pulling out her phone and typing up some memo's for herself.

"So explain to me, why you lost it in there?" She inquired lightly, busy multi-tasking and not meeting his eyes. She had been disappointed in how childish he had acted, surprised even by his sudden rage and lack of control. He had been so even keel during the battles, taking everything as it came, never over reacting. His emotions had been controlled, his thinking clear and actions concise. Able to anchor her wild emotions and redirect her rage. Talking her down back at the hotel and holding her back from running off into the darkness of the Arena when all she wanted to do was destroy everyone and everything in her path.

Now that he had some time to regain his composure she needed to understand, why he had acted so out of character.

Kane sighed heavily, turning away from the railing and leaning his powerful frame against the cement.

Crossing his arms over his chest and craning his neck back searching the stars twinkling above for his answers. He opened up about his troubled childhood, refusing to look at her. Not wanting to see the compassion or pity that lay in her eyes. He explained how Sarge had saved him from himself, that he had been totally out of control then. That is if wasn't for that man's inner strength and stubbornness never to give up on him. He wouldn't be alive today or accomplished as much as he had. He tried to stay calm and in control because his anger could become so fierce it could eat him alive.

He thought she would be scared of him now, want him to back off and not attempt to have a relationship with her. Instead he found her crashing into his arms, holding onto him tightly.

"God, Kane that was a brutal life." She muttered into his chest, her childhood hadn't been perfect with the the death of her parents and eventual banishment from New York in her teen years. She still had her grandfather, who loved her and only had her best interests at heart. She knew she had a home with him no mater what. She had felt save and secure as a child. Kane didn't have any of that, moving from place to place. His own mother giving up on him so young... But it paled in comparison to the horror's and utter abandonment Kane had endured growing up.

"Yeah, it's wasn't pretty but I don't try and let it define me." he sighed, breathing deeply into her hair as he held her.

"I don't know...I guess my head just overloaded." He tried to explain. "I have never been anything special. Never aspired to be anything more then just a fighter. My dreams have been simple...now I find out that I'm some reincarnated Guard to an Immortal Prince. That I died in some epic battle against an evil force...a force that might be coming back...that I am destined to battle again to save the entire world!" He dropped his troubled gaze down to his feet as she pulled away. "It's a lot to take in, ya know."

Lita started to laugh, shaking her head in understanding. "I get it, I do. I'm supposed to be a Guardian for a Goddess Princess...that is technically my best friend from elementary."

Kane started laughing along with her. "Absurd, right."

"Completely crazy." She agreed then her smile faded and she regarded him with a serious stare. "But, I know its all true. I don't have any memories of that time, but I feel it. That deep inside of me that power, I draw upon to call the lightening was given to me for a greater purpose. To protect this planet and everyone I love."

"Do you believe in fate?" Kane asked.

Lita thought about it for a moment.

"Do you think that we meet people and certain things happen for a reason?" he continued. "That no matter what we do, or what we choose those destined moments will happen anyway." He asked quietly, staring intently into her eyes. Needing to see for himself if she felt the same way.

"I think we can only control ourselves, that a certain series of events will befall us. But we have the free will to choose which path we take. Sometimes we have luck on our side, sometimes not. Accidents will happen and we will be placed in very unsavoury situations in which our moral character will be tested." she responded, scrutinizing where he was going with this.

Kane nodded, closing his eyes and craning his head back. Conceding to her somewhat.

"I could tuck tail right now and run back to my normal life and forget all about this coming war, about my friends who need me and Serenity. My best friend who is more messed up about all this then anyone. In the end it comes down to only one question." She paused, palming the side of his face and drawing his focus back to her. Searching his eyes for reassurance that he might agree with her. "What is more important to me...my dreams or my friends?"

Kane swallowed hard, glancing through the picture window at Jed tidying up the glass shards of the coffee table. Meticulously moving the glass fragments from around the cement molded base, not wanting to cut his finger's. The man was loud, obnoxious, competitive and a hedonist. He could be annoying as hell but he was like a brother to him. Glancing at Zac who was already hurt, sitting patiently in his wheel chair offering Amy tools from the tool box in his lap. He had always been like the little brother he never had, eager to please everyone of them. Idolizing him and seeking his approval. He had grown into his own man now and left that sort of childish behaviour behind.

Hollywood and Darien had been with him since the beginning. They had all grown into men together, those four guys were the closest he had to family now. He wasn't going to run out on them, leave them to face this battle alone. He would rather die at their side then live without them. It really wasn't a hard choice.

"I'm not going to abandon them, or you." He turned to confront her fierce stare with a determination of his own. Reaching over to her, he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

"I may not have super power's, but I'm loyal to the end when I care about someone." He stated, cupping her cheek and drawing her closer again.

Lita swallowed hard as her heart skipped, fluttering in her chest uncertainly. It had been a long time since she had felt this intensely for someone. She was scared and exhilarated at the same time, as he guided her chin with his finger's to look up at him. Watching him drawing down slowly towards her lips with his own. Pressing his mouth against hers softly, needing to feel her closer, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her up against him. She was his glue right now, keeping him whole. Otherwise he might unravel again, unable to deal with the magnitude of the future that awaited him.

Normal would no longer be apart of his life, he was in love with a Genesis Born and about to go to war against an ancient Goddess...oh god! That was frightening.

 **Serenity and Tiger**

It was closing in on midnight when Tiger followed her onto the somber, dimly lit campus of her brother's private school.

The narrow walkways were lit every few feet with industrial grade steel hanging lamps. Towering brick buildings covered in ivy surrounded them as she crossed the inner courtyards with a purpose. Striding towards a pristine white washed, sandstone dormitory. The four floors were lined with simple square windows, with not a single light on. The occupants were all fast asleep, since tomorrow would be another school day.

"So what makes you think the dorm mom's going to just let you barge into your brothers room at this late hour?" Tiger asked, his hands shoved deep into his jean pockets. Casting her a smart ass smirk as he inclined the darkened building.

"That term's a bit dated and a tad sexist, Tiger. They are called Resident Manager's now and they are not alway women. " Serenity shot back.

"Oh, how fancy." Tiger responded sarcasticly, making her smile. He had been trying so hard to keep her spirits up the whole trip. Not allowing her to brood or fret over this confrontation any longer then she needed to.

"I doubt she or he will let me in. But I don't plan on actually asking permission either. It's better that no one knows I've been here. If Randy and his rouge agents are still after Ido's remaining Soldier's, I do not want my brother dragged back into all that again." She advised, as they drew in close to the dormitory. She moved lightly around the side, keeping to the heavy shadows. Skirting the decorative elm trees that lined the outer walls, her eyes searching the third floor windows above. As she darted silently along the north side of the building, looking for her brother's room.

"It's not like you have super human strength anymore, princess. How do you expect to climb up there with out breaking your damn neck?" Tiger pointed out, staring bitterly up at the very well pruned elms who's branches didn't even come close to room's windows.

"One, don't call me princess. Two, I don't need super human strength. I have a Tiger. Go! Fetch my brother, boy!" She commanded, offering him a sly, if cute grin as she pointed up at the dorm windows. Tiger gave her an unimpressed stare before he obeyed her with out comment. Leaping up into the branches. Enjoying the sound of her amused laughter, as it echoed merrily from down below. Tiger grinned smugly as he climbed. She had been far to somber and messed in the head since the Arena. It was real good to hear her honest unrestrained laughter again.

"Which one is it?" Tiger stage whispered down to her from the crown of the tree.

"Fourth window in from the left, third floor. " She called upward, cupping her hands over her mouth to direct her voice better.

Tiger nodded, searching out the correct window when the sharp scent of sweat and alcohol caught his nose. He sniffed the air and craned his head back towards the flat roof of the ivy covered dormitory. Someone was on the roof, Tiger was laying bets it was Shingo. Only the desperate to be alone would retreat to the rooftops. If the young man was mourning the death of a loved one, that mixture of sweat and booze in the air was a sure sign he wasn't handling it well.

"Hold on a sec, the boys on the roof. Be right back." Tiger motioned for Serenity to stay put and be patient as he leaped from the tree. His incredibly strong finger's griping the stone accent ledge just above the fourth floor. Like a rock climber he scaled the ledge with his hands, hooking the toe of his boots onto the window frame below. He hauled himself upward by brute strength along, clambering up over the rooftop and out of view.

While Serenity now paced impatiently in the shadows below. Her anxiety knotting her stomach, her throat tight, wringing her hands nervously. Her brothers state of mind a dreadful unknown that was slowly suffocating her.

Tiger found the young man, laying flat on the roof staring up at the stars. Dressed in dark slacks and a white linen shirt that was untucked. With his dusty brown hair looking wind blown, the first few buttons of his shirt undone. He looked to be a drunken, sloppy mess. A black suit jacket lay discarded a few feet away. Along with a decent pile of tiny bottles of alcohol.

Shingo struggled, clumsily to sit up. Needing to brace himself with an elbow as he grunted and groaned back up to a sitting position. The world was swimming in his fuzzy vision and felt like he was listing sideways. But that sick feeling never slowed him down as he searched through the discarded bottles. Knocking over all the empty ones, happily finding one that still held some alcohol. With a grunt of approval he raised it up to his lips.

He was currently downing the last of a smokey brown bottle of whisky when Tiger approached. Shingo regarded the red haired man stalking towards him with indifference, finishing off the bottle then flopping back onto to the roof with out a care in the world.

"Your sister needs to talk to you." Tiger informed him sternly, wanting to break through the boys drunken haze.

"Izn't dat nice, Usagi finally found meeee." he crooned to the stars.

"Aw, man. You are totally wasted, boy...how in the hell are you gonna answer anything?" Tiger grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck ruefully.

Then Shingo made a very wet, very disgusting belching sound deep in his throat. Rolling sideways fast he heaved up the contents of his stomach. Leaving a steaming puddle of putrid vomit on the cement rooftop. It burned Tiger's sensitive nose, he scrunched up his face in disgust and pain.

"Well that answer's that, then." He huffed, watching Shingo convulse and dry heave for a for more minutes. Before grabbing the young man by the back of his neck impatiently, with one large hand and hauling him up to his feet. Guiding him towards the roof's ledge and as far away from the vile smelling puke as possible. Shingo stubbled and tripped over his feet, while Tiger snarled in frustration. The boy couldn't even walk...he was a complete disaster! Roughly depositing the boy against the ledge, watching him crumple against the stone lip of the roof like broken doll. When his gaze caught something gold fluttering in the tree canopy far below.

"You have got to be kidding me..." Tiger rolled his eyes in disbelief, as he found Serenity now half way up the tree. Staring at the same ledge with a calculating gleam in her eye.

"Get you ass out of the tree!" He shouted down at her in exasperation.

"Thad's my sister...she misses me ya know..." Shingo slurred toward Tiger, his upper body flopped over the ledge, his head lolling sideways as he smiled drunkenly down at her.

"Your taking to long!" She shouted back up impatiently, now scrambling back down the branches. Complying with Tiger's demand.

"Stubborn, hot headed,impetuous girl..." Tiger snarled, flipping Shingo over his shoulder like a sack of rice and then dropping off the rooftop. Shingo had no time to react as he was literally pick up like he weighted nothing and slung over the wild man's shoulder. The young man squealed in fright as they plummeted to the ground below. His stalk terror piercing the quiet of the night.

"Well, if your yelling didn't wake everyone up. His girly scream just now sure did, lets get the hell out of here!" Tiger swore, grabbing Serenity's hand as he landed beside the tree and jogged away through the courtyard with Shingo still dangling from his shoulder. Giggling or making sick retching sounds, as Tiger jostled him roughly about.

Tiger prayed to what ever greater power may be out there, that the kid didn't throw up again. There was only so much annoyance he could tolerate before he grew violent and her drunken wreck of a brother was very close to a thrashing right now.

 **Amy and Zac**

Amy cocked her finger like it was a gun and pretended to shoot the open computer case. Making the harsh sound of a gunshot, while glaring darkly at it with distain. The melted outer cover lay discarded on the floor, with the naked guts of the CPU on display on the island. She had set up a monitor and a keyboard to it, the various cords trailing between the two components like mutli colored arteries.

Micro sized screws, tools and logic boards littered the back countertop of the kitchen. She had been working like a mad scientist for the last several hours trying to resurrect the machine. Cleaning and surveying every connection for damage.

"It's dead...I can't do anything with it. At least not with what I have here." She scrubbed her hands over her head, griping her short dark hair in frustration. She had pillaged Darien's own computer for parts and had tried to rebuild it but it wasn't turning on. The wires inside were not melted, their was major smoke damage but the logic boards looked fine. It just wasn't booting up...it could be the power supply or the processor. She didn't want to cause another fire if any of the circuits had been fried due to heat. Retrieving the data could be compromised even damaged at this point. At a loss as to what kind of miracle she needed to resurrect the damn thing. She was now frustrated to the point of screaming!

"Then take it somewhere else...what do you need?" Zac offered.

"A computer store." She snarled back. "It needs new fans, perhaps run some cotton filter's through it, swabs, a new power supply perhaps." She shook the can of compressed air angrily at it, the tiny straw attached to the nozzle flying across the room. Bouncing off Jed's head, who had been busy cleaning up the broken glass of the coffee table. Trying to keep busy, so he would not dwell on how screwed up his life had gotten in under two days time.

"Ouch..." He cast her a dirty look, before shoving a large shard of thick glass into his garbage bag.

Amy didn't even apologize, she was far to upset to care. Which wasn't like her previous self, who had been shy, easily flustered and far to polite. A lot had happened since then and she had learned to relax about the little things.

"It's close to midnight." Zac glanced at the television that had been on a twenty-four news feed since after supper.

"Ugh..." Amy groaned striding away deflating into a chair. Still in the clothes she had worn when a simple evening to meet an old friend had turned her world upside down. Her outfit now looked rumpled and worn. Her white blouse hanging like a wrinkled mess from her shoulder's.

Zac glanced at the uneaten carton of donburi that Mina and Raye had given her for supper several hours previous. Currently sitting untouched on the back counter near the sink, surrounded by various computer parts. He rolled his chair over to the counter and picked up the forgotten donburi, he had tried to get her to eat earlier but it had been a lost cause. When she was focused on a task there was no way to deter her. Now that she was forced to take a break he felt he had a better chance to get her to eat something. Setting the carton of rice and vegetables in his lap, he then wheeled himself over to the plush white chair.

"Well, we got time to kill. Why don't you eat something then?" He offered her the carton with a supportive smile.

She nodded and accepted the food, returning him a small smile of thanks. Their eyes lingering, conveying wordlessly the depth of their affection for one another.

Jed caught the warm moment between them and sighed. Setting the garbage bag aside he retreated down the hall to give his brother a few moments alone with her. He was suddenly feeling rather alone and unneeded. Zac had found someone and he didn't fit anymore in his brother's life. Things would be changing between them, he knew it. Zac would pull away from him as Amy took on a larger and larger role in his life. He needed to figure out how he was going to deal with being replaced in his brother's heart. Already he could see the intimate looks that passed between them. A connection had been made that would only deepen in time.

 **Jed**

He found himself at a loss as to where to get some privacy in Darien's now, far to small Condo. Finding Mina and Raye fast asleep in the man's bed, holding each other contentedly under the bed sheets. Lita and Kane currently occupied the living room balcony, totally absorbed in each other. He did not want to intrude upon his brother's time with Amy in the living room. So he found himself locked up tight in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet hunch over his knees, contemplating where he was going from here. He had promised to take care of his brother, but he had to be honest with himself. Zac would prefer if it was Amy caring for his needs then his over bearing older brother. Ok...only by a couple minutes since they were twins. But hell, he was still Zac's older brother and had held that fact over his head for years. In all likely hood, if he stayed around they would be at each other's throats in no time.

Rubbing his index finger over his upper lip as he braced his elbows on his knees, looking troubled and pensive. His whole world had been spun off it axis and he was having a hard time regaining his equilibrium.

Everything Darien had told him and everything that had happened so far was a lot to throw at a guy. Especially a guy like him. Who lived to party, make money and just live life. He didn't think of the future or destiny or any of that spiritual, greater powers kinda shit. He had no memories of being some guard for a Prince long ago. Or giving up his life on some noble quest for love, so his prince could escape their dieing kingdom to save his Princess.

Jed was not honourable, he didn't own a single noble bone in his body. He was an opportunist, he wanted the good life of wine, women and copious amounts of money! He looked out for himself and his brother first. The rest he just saw as business partner's, he booked the fights they pulled in the cash. He had been feeling like a failure of late, not being able to draw in the funds he had promised the guys. When he had convinced them to leave the States to come here. He had no scruples in contracting with the mob to help earn a bigger pay out. That was why he had been at the hotel, he had plans...big plans to make them all filthy, dirty, stink'in rich. Now all those glorious tenets had changed. They were now brother's in arms and pledged to save this world from being conquered by some psychotic Goddess-Queen. The planet had enough problems, it didn't need to be thrown into a world war on top of everything else.

Jed scrubbed his hands through his blonde hair in aggravation. He wanted to just disappear, he hadn't signed up to be a martyr. He wasn't a soldier or saint, going into battle with the odds totally not his favour of survival wasn't for him. But he wasn't going to leave his brother, Zac...who was noble with the heart of a saint. He would have no issues with charging into battle against all odds if it meant he had chance to save innocent people.

"What the hell am I doing..." Jed growled, stalking to the sink and splashing cold water on his face to stop himself from crying. The very thought of dieing terrorfied him. His hands were shaking and clammy, a cold sweat was beading all over

his body.

Suddenly the bathroom felt to small, the walls seemed to close in on him and he was struggling to breath. His chest felt tight and drawing in enough oxygen was growing more and more difficult. He was having a panic attack and needed to get the hell out of here. Sneaking down the hall and tip toeing through Darien's bedroom, he slipped out to the balcony and down the fire escape. He picked a direction at random and ran. Unable to take a good deep breath until the condo complex was completely out of view. Losing himself to the midnight streets of Tokyo. He didn't now where he was going, only that he needed some space. Like a continents worth between him and that crazy Queen!

 **Usagi and Shingo**

They had retreated away from the quiet campus and back into the brightly lit streets of Osaka's Commercial district. Finding a small convenience store that had a hot beverage dispenser out by the front doors. Not wanting to draw attention to themselves, Tiger had left the siblings in the shadows along side the store and went to buy some coffee.

Serenity keep a watchful eye on her brother, as he swayed uncertainly. Her arms jerking up to catch him whenever he stumbled forward from time to time. He always seemed to regain his balance though and listed right back against the wall. Leaving her in a worried, uncertain state of what to do with her hands.

He leaned against the brick wall at the side of the store, staring at everything except her. As if he was trying to ignore her, a tactic he had used many times when he was furious with her as a child. Or perhaps now that he was grown he felt shamed by his intoxicated state or just to incoherent to acknowledge her. She didn't know what was driving his avoidance of her, but the guilty acid churning in her stomach was now burning up her throat. As she observed his abject misery, wanting to fix things, to take away his pain and make everything better. The guilt was eating her alive.

"Here." Tiger growled, shoving a paper cup of hot coffee in Shingo's face.

"urgh...Shingo you smell like a mini-bar." Usagi moaned, as he finally tittered sideways and fell against her. Draping a hand over her shoulder's to steady himself as he sloshed hot coffee all over his crisp white shirt.

"Shit..." He hissed, pulling the wet shirt away from his scalded chest.

"Com'on, lets get you sitting down somewhere." She handed Tiger back his coffee with a grimace and guided the unsteady young man forward across the parking lot.

Tiger followed resolutely behind the siblings, as she headed towards a small green space that divided the mini-mall of stores from a cluster of apartment complexes on the other side.

"Well, the boy has drank a whole mini bar up on that roof." Tiger grimaced, as she tried to settle Shingo on a wooden bench that overlooked a small, brightly painted steel play park.

"Where would he have gotten all that alcohol?" She questioned Tiger, as once again Shingo refused to sit up, flopping onto his side limply, taking up the whole bench.

"I stole it from the bar in the hotel during the reception, after the funeral." Shingo slurred out, the devastation in his eyes still burning through the drunken haze his was in.

Usagi whimpered in pain, kneeling before him and taking up one of his hands in hers. Holding it tightly, attempting to soothe the pain of loss she knew he was enduring.

"I'm so sorry, Shingo..." She moaned, tears stinging her eyes, as she brushed her finger's tenderly down his cheek.

"At least I had something to bury..." He whispered. "You gave her back her human body at least...I got to see her one last time whole and as beautiful as ever." He shuttered at the gruesome memory of how Mika's Genesis had consumed her. As her delicate, porcelain doll like body had deteriorated and fallen apart in his arms like melted clay. "I can thank you for that...at least." he finished with a weak smile, his misty, sky blue eyes finally focusing on her.

Usagi cast her eyes aside in shame, she had chosen to save most of her remaining life energy to purge the taint from Darien's Genesis. She had made a choice, a selfish one, to save her true love instead of Shingo's. She could have redirected her life force through the crystal to resurrect all the dead that littered the Arena as she had done back a Cross Roads High. Instead she had merely cleansed their corpses. She was a despicable person, all the terrible things Beryl had said she was, was true. She cared only for herself and her own needs.

"Here you need to get lucid, boy. We got lots of questions and supposedly you have all the answers. " Tiger shoved Shingo up to a sitting position and sat beside him, helping him take several deep gulps from the styrofoam coffee cup.

While Usagi remained kneeling and holding his other hand, as if seeking penance.

As dawn began to warm the city skyline, illuminating the underside of the low lying clouds in a brilliant fiery orange. Shingo's mind began to clear, he had consumed several more cups of coffee in the last few hours. His incoherent whispering and painful laughter turning quiet. Soon somber, clear words began to issue from him. He had remained curled up on the bench, with his head resting on Usagi's lap. While she soothed him by brushing her finger's through his hair, gazing down with regret at how hollow his eyes seemed, his face blank and impassive as if his soul had been ripped out of him.

Languidly his closed his eyes, taking a deep cleansing breath. Her familiar scent and the motherly tenderness in her touch soothed the frozen ache his heart had become. She was finally there for him in all the ways he had needed years ago. Once again he could draw strength from her pressence in his life.

"I've missed this the most." Shingo sighed, his hand curling up possessively upon her leg. Sniffling back his tears of regret, so many years with her had been stolen from him.

"I remember, you used to let me fall asleep in your lap like this every night after Mom died." He smiled weakly. "You tried so hard to be everything I needed to feel safe and secure. When Dad stopped dealing and started drinking. Drowning his sorrow in the bottle. When my little world crumbled out of my control. You were always there, I could count on you..." his voice was quiet, almost irreverent. She had never known how much she had meant to him when he was a kid. Her chest ached with regret, "I'm sorry, I left." She whispered brokenly. "After what Beryl had done to you, I thought it was best to let you have a new life and forget all about me."

He laughed tightly, the sound was hard and brittle. "I was so angry with you, when I finally woke up from this dream life you sent me into and realized the last four years had been a total lie." He declared, scowling out at the brilliant dawn now warming the skyline. "I have never been one to delude myself, over how harsh and brutal reality can be. I deal with it...not always in the best ways but I deal. I would have never agreed to have that Genesis Bitch mind fuck me! If given a chance to speak up. But I was a child and you were not there to protect me this time." He accused hotly, pulling himself up off her lap not wanting anymore motherly attention. The heat of his fury towards her failure back then, rising with the bile now burning his throat.

"Ido did it to protect you, as much as he did it to protect himself and all of the Genesis Born under his care. Beryl had told you things. About me, the Genesis Project or perhaps Tomoe's research that he didn't want surfacing in the public eye. Beryl had driven you insane and he felt wiping your mind would be a mercy. I wanted you to be happy...Shingo. I thought you were, so I never came looking for you right away. " She reminded him, curling her hands in her lap valiantly trying to contain the hurt Shingo's sudden cold shoulder had inflicted. She deserved his resentment, his hate. She had failed him back then too, using all her power's to wish Darien and her friends a new life. While totally forgetting all about her little brother...in retrospect she could have used that power to wish him safely away from Beryl but she didn't. She had made a impetuous, selfish decision, and sacrificed her little brother in the process.

"Yeah, well. Your right, that crazy bitch told me a lot of things. Sis." Shingo groaned, draping an arm over his eyes to shield them from the rising sun's glare. Allowing his head to flop back against the bench tiredly. "For an eleven year old, finding out your older sister's a monster capable of flattening a whole city and taking all the lives within. It does things to your head...twists your heart and soul yah know?"

He kept to himself all the more horrific memories of being caged in a dog kennel for weeks, the painful cramping of his body as he was forced to remain curled up and immobile for hours on end. Barely being fed or given enough water. Always being sore, hungry and thirsty. A real dog might have gotten better treatment then what he got from Beryl. The uncomprehending terror his young mind had to deal with, as he was forced to watch Beryl change her face. Becoming one person then another as they traveled. The immensity of her powers as a Genesis Born, as she killed innocent people right in front of him, when ever they got in her way. Scaring him forever in so many ways.

Being smuggled in his crate on board a flight at LAX. Curled up in his kennel, so drugged with sedatives he couldn't speak. Only able to whimper and moan out his pleas to all the stranger's milling around the terminal. Slowly losing hope when no one at the airport seemed to notice him, as Beryl pushed his crate to the loading docks with the rest of her luggage. The crippling feeling of slow suffocation he had suffered in the endless darkness of the cargo hold of that airplane as they crossed the Pacific ocean. Being starved and mentally tortured by that severely unstable woman for weeks on end. Until he wished, begged for her to kill him to end the pain of living. When his pleas had fallen on deaf ears and the brutal treatment continued he gave up entirely. Falling into the only salvation he could find, he went completely comatose. Beryl couldn't hurt him then, having disconnected his mind from his body he became a lifeless shell and no longer any fun to play with.

When Beryl had arrived at Ido's estate demanding to see him. For him to acknowledge her as the most powerful of his Soldier's and give her the compensation she rightly deserved. Instead she had received a fight and been driven off the estate. Forced to leave her prize behind, two Genesis Soldier's had freed him from his cage. Ido and his Soldier's had housed him, nursed him back from the brink of death and valiantly sought to get answers from him. But he was to far gone by then.

He understood by the time he arrived, he had been unable to cope. His state of mind had been totally screwed up by Beryl. Since he was a lost cause, an untrustworthy vessel to hold such vital information. The old man did not want the boy to one day spill all that he knew about the Genesis Project to some random therapist one day. Ido needed to contain this volatile situation. So he had one of his Soldier's wipe his mind. The forced invasion and defilement he had felt when that Genesis Soldier had torn his memories from him against his will, was far worse then the physical or mental brutality he had suffered at Beryl's hands. He started to shiver in fear as he relived all that trauma.

"She gone...Beryl." Usagi advised, sensing his fear. Wanting to hold his hand, she reached tentatively for his free hand resting against the bench seat. Drawing her hand back just as swiftly, feeling unworthy to comfort him. All this horror he had lived had been because of her, she had no right to offer him support. It was presumptuous to think we would even accept it. "You don't have to be scared about her anymore." she offered, softly instead.

He smiled grimly at the sky above and offered her a small nod of acknowledgement.

Pushing his thoughts past that dark time towards the bitter sweet memories of his last year. As his true memories began to resurfaced he had had a temporary mental break, Mika had helped him pick up the pieces of his forgotten life and make him want to live again.

Now with her gone, he felt empty, lost and generally apathetic about everything especially his own existence.

Finally Usagi found her courage and reached for him. A small hand gripping his own drew him back from his bleak thoughts. He rolled his head to peek out under his arm at his sister, the rock he had always drew strength from. Yet this time she seemed less steady, her eyes looked weary. Her face drawn and pale. He could no longer draw any strength from her pressence as she seemed so fragile right now. In this instance he felt perhaps their roles had changed. That she needed to draw strength from him this time...

"I need you..." She pleaded. "To help me save this world."

Shingo released a long drawn out sigh. "Queen Selene's made her move then?"

"She stole my crystal and is intending to invade this world with an army. I have no idea where to even start looking for her." She stated sadly.

"This invasion plan of her's has been in the works since after Caen." He sighed. "Beryl has been working for her long before she started playing sides between Ido and Tomoe."

Usagi took a slow, even breath needing to settle her racing heart. "She was the woman who abandoned me at the Compound in Caen." she drew inward to Serenity Durant's memories. "Queen Selene was the mother whom I tried so hard to have love me?" she whispered. "She had wanted Tomoe to unlock my powers and didn't care at all about how brutal his experiments were."

Shingo drew his arm away and watched her curiously. "Beryl told me that she met the queen as a child, in France. That she had been the first adult she had seen after escaping the devastation of your suicide. She had given you to her, as an infant to take care of."

"She gave me up again to Ido soon afterwards?" Usagi nodded, realizing that her birth mother had been lurking behind the scenes since Caen. Perhaps she had been in the wings of every lifetime she had in the past. Waiting until the time was right to strike. To reclaim what she felt was rightfully hers. "Why, it would have made more sense to give me back to Tomoe. To continue his research...Or she could have killed me outright, why wait till I was grown?" She scowled down at her feet, trying to make sense of it all.

"The queen raised Beryl until she was a teen, teaching her all about her Genesis, the Silver Millennium and her role to play in her conquest." Shingo added.

Usagi laughed bitterly, again her mother had given her up. It hurt that she had chosen the twisted soul that was Beryl, to raise as a daughter instead of her own flesh and blood. It tore at her heart to know how much her mother despised her very existence. That pain of abandonment still stung even in this life, but she wondered now if the Queen really had killed her back during the Silver Millennium. The mysterious woman seemed so cold and heartless to be able to sacrifice her daughter again and again, so easily. She was surprised by the pain she still felt, in this life she had never known the

woman. But she soothed the ache of not being wanted by her own birth mother with the knowledge that Ikuko had been a far better mother to have. She had been patient, sweet and a perfect role model for what a true loving mother was. She couldn't ask for a better mother, only that perhaps fate could have allowed her a few more years with her children.

"So that she could steal my power's and my link to the Silver Crystal." She finally nodded, understanding now why her mother had to wait until she was older and strong enough to sync with the Star seed again.

Shingo licked his lips not understanding what she was talking about. He was privy to many things about Beryl, having spent hours listening to her insane prattle.

"Beryl had infiltrated the Agency for the Queen as well, to track us down in the States and bring you to her. But that plan kinda fell through when your Genesis manifested and Beryl was no longer more powerful then you. So she took her revenge out on me instead." Shingo licked his front teeth, seething with hatred for Beryl.

"I'm so sorry..." Usagi reached for his hand again, wanting to heal all the trauma he had gone through because of her.

"What ever...it's in the past." he shrugged her comfort off, wringing his hand free and offering her a weak, resilient smile. "I try not to dwell." he advised. Turning the topic back to the information he knew and pushing aside all the emotional turmoil talking about all this created in his heart.

"Queen Selene was the one who gave Tomoe the sanskrit scrolls, when he sought funding from Senator Takahashi, Ido. Then he too fell under her plots, but at the time all she had wanted was answers." Shingo advised. "You were not manifesting as quickly as she had wanted, she needed to seek further aid in ascending you to your true state." He stared pointedly at her.

Usagi swallowed hard she had been the catalyst to all of this from the very beginning. "Ido had the financial means and political pull to get the Genesis Project off the ground. He started the ball rolling, its been going down hill ever since and picking up speed. Genesis Born are being unleashed all over the world." Usagi chewed on her lower lip, contemplating the imbalance of wild Genesis now transforming world wide. She had met twins who had ascended with out guidance in the states before she left for Japan. Darien and the girls as well had evolved into their power's with out aid. What did it all mean?

"Which will drag this world into chaos, if they are not given purpose beyond themselves. Not every one is as noble as you, Sis. " Shingo countered. "Ultimate power and a poor moral compass does not breed peace. It won't just be your mother trying to rule the world soon. You people are like a virus, consuming the planet. It will be the poor weak human's like myself who are going to be annihilated when you guys decide to go to war with each other. " He advised, staring at her hard and uncompromising. He could see the chaos to come and he worried his idealistic sister would not have the will power or fortitude to handle it.

Usagi's blood ran cold, "I won't let it get that far..." She breathed, her eyes stricken and her thoughts racing through one terrible scenario after another. She understood a little more now why her mother wanted to conquer this planet first. To give the Genesis Born a banner to flock to, a purpose for their power's other then personal gain. But war only began more wars, that wasn't the way to save this planet.

"Tomoe's serum, the black market drugs sold on my campus. Was an experiment to infect human beings with Genesis Genes." Shingo rubbed the back of his head. "The human body is far to weak and fragile to contain the blood of the gods. But we are far easier to control then a pure Genesis Born, perfectly mailable soldiers."

"Tomoe was just a puppet for my Mother, to develop her army?" Usagi brow furrowed deeply in contemplation as pieces began to fall into place.

"So was Daiki's Grandfather." Shingo nodded. "The Arena was more then just a black market gambling ring."

When Amy had stated that she had found cages that could house hundreds of Onii. She had conjured theories that Mr.

Shinoda had grander plans then just ruling the Japanese underworld.

"He was building her army?" Usagi nodded.

"He was testing Tomoe's serum, it was a crucible for the Onii. In which the weak would be culled and the strong sent to strengthen the ranks of her army." Shingo stated.

"Did Beryl tell you that?" Usagi inquired, wondering how he knew the specifics.

"No, Mika before she died. She had overheard many conversations between the handlers, they were competing amongst themselves to have the most powerful Onii. Wanting to earn money and prestige from Mr. Shinoda. " Shingo groaned, as a shooting pain throbbed through his head. His hang-over finally starting to drag him down.

"So why did she kill Tomoe if he was helping her? Why kill Ido?" Usagi was confused, unless they had just merely out grown their usefulness.

Shingo shrugged not knowing either, the conversation fell silent as they both watched the sun clear the tower's. Illuminating the steel and glass landscape, it's brilliant rays gleaming blindingly off the modern structures. Making both of them squint, as the sharp reflection of light started to sting their eyes.

"You are not my sister." He wouldn't look at her again, forcing himself to stare at the blazing windows of the surrounding tower's instead. Unwilling to confront the pain he knew was etched upon her face, as he sounded like he was openly disowning her.

"That is true...I am not your sister." She agreed softly, her voice modulated and controlled to prevent it from cracking in sorrow. His words slicing into her heart like a knife.

He merely nodded. "Beryl told me, you are some sort of Moon Goddess resurrected here on earth?"

"Yes." She stared down at her hands, the self loathing in her voice making the acknowledgment sound harsh.

"That all the pain and suffering she had to endure was all your fault? That you were punishing her for what she did to you in your first life?" He continued.

"Yes." Was all she could say, biting down hard on her lower lip to stop the sob that wanted to escape.

"What I don't understand is why?" He turned to her, his brow furrowed in deep confusion. "Why would you give up that kind of power and immortality for a plain and simple human life?"

She met his scrutiny with barely veiled misery, her eyes moist and lip quivering. Valiantly trying to control her overwhelming emotions, that wished to overflow her calm resolve.

"I wanted to live my life with my true love, who was a human man." She bowed her head, trying to control her misery. "Instead my wish upon the Silver Crystal got all screwed up and I've been forced to relive the same tortured karma over and over again. I find him, fall in love and because of it my world and everyone I love is killed." Silent tears fell down her face as she finally admitted that all this suffering was all her fault.

"Was Darien your Prince?" he asked, innocently.

"Yes..." She finally sobbed, still very confused about her true feelings for the man he had become.

"But he isn't just Darien anymore." She took a deep breath struggling to control the pain in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Shingo sounded like he was hurting too. Darien had meant a great deal to him, he had seen him as a big brother he could depend on when he was a child.

"He has reclaimed all of his memories and become that Prince from long ago." She sighed heavily, giving Shingo a weak sad smile.

"Ok..." Shingo mulled that over.

"It's so complicated." She rolled her eyes and groaned.

Shingo merely shrugged, his sister tended to be over dramatic at times and needlessly complicate things when she didn't need to.

"That could be a bit weird, has he changed a-lot?" He asked, his brow deeply furrowed. Truly worried that he had lost Darien as well.

Usagi released a frustrated breath, leaning the back of her head on the bench and staring up at the dawning sky organizing her thoughts.

"I don't know...He acts like Darien and then the aura of another man I once loved rises up, it's really strange and it freaks me out." She rolled her head towards him, searching for understanding from him.

Shingo merely nodded. "Not so complicated, sis." He past her a small, reassuring smile. His use of her title as his sister ringing in her ears, a warmth swelling in her heart that he might be able to forgive her.

She frowned, silently urging him to continue.

He turned to her with a lopsided smile. "You said you loved both Darien and the men who complete his whole self, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." She conceded, reluctantly.

"So in essence he has become the embodiment of every man who you have ever loved." Shingo added, "Were's the negative?" he laughed.

Her jaw dropped at his very simplistic explanation.

"Love is the key word here, Sis." He grasped her shoulder, giving her a shake as if that was all she needed to come to terms with what happened to Darien.

"He is not Darien anymore." She folded her arms over her chest and slumped back against the bench, looking as if she was sulking.

"Yes he is, he will always be Darien." Shingo countered stubbornly. "Love is a precious thing, you need to cherish it, bask in it's beauty and never let it go!"

She swallowed hard his wisdom vibrating straight into her very soul. She believed the very same thing, it was the constant that had defined every one of her lives. Suddenly she felt very horrible about how she had acted with Endymion. She had been cold and so full of resentment and anger at what was happening to her, what had happened to him. Her simple dream of being human, falling in love and having a family had been shattered and she was taking it out on him. When all he wanted was for her to understand, to love him as powerfully as he loved her. She had treated him so harshly, and she would need to apologize and repair what ever damage she had caused.

"Past lives...rebirth..." Shingo shook his head. "It's just to much to wrap my head around, to remember that many lives, you think one would go insane?" He unintentionally cracked Usagi's resolve not to burden him further with her own personal turmoil.

"I don't know who I am anymore?" She laughed jaggedly. "I have been so many women over the centuries, it has all become one tragic and disappointing blur. Am I some Immortal Moon Princess, who selfishly sentenced all the people she loved to relive their karma again and again. Or Serenity Durant, the lost and abandoned girl who only wanted to be loved?...Usagi Tsukino the sister who had the best intentions to protect her little brother and give him a home when we were kids?... or Serena who fell in love with Darien Shields and wanted to have a simple sweet life with him forever? Or Serenity Moon, the popular DJ who wanted to entertain and take other people away from their own struggles, who was also a Genesis Soldier fighting in a secret war? Trying to protect the innocent and maintain the peace here in Japan. Or any of the countless other lives I have lived for the last ten thousand years? I just don't know, all I do know is that I am a truly deplorable person." She finished bitterly, grabbing at the sides of her head and pulling on her hair as she leaned forward sucking in deep breaths as a panic attack clenched her chest. Weariness swamped her, a mind numbing fatigue that crashed into her like a mighty wave. Dragging her down and battering her heart and soul against the rocks of her cruel and confusion reality. She had never felt so lost, so full of sorrow and frustration.

Shingo stared down at her for a moment, watching her sadly as great sobs ripped from her throat. Her whole body quaking and trembling with the effort of realizing the immensity of all that pain. Timidly he reached for her and began to rub her back in small circles. This was the first time that she had ever broke down in front of him, that the responsibility of picking up the pieces lay in his hands. She needed him to be more then just her little brother, she needed him to fix her. She was completely unravelling before his eyes.

Taking a settling breath he found his voice once more. "Perhaps you are the sum of all those women...combined into one totally unique individual." He started, his voice making her anguished cries fall silent as she listened. "But none of them were deplorable, they could never be that way. Because my sister had the biggest heart, the most valiant spirit and the sweetest, most resilient soul I have ever known. Those qualities were so strong they would have transferred into every life you have lived even the first one. You are not evil...Usagi. You have faults, because no one. Not at God or a mortal is infallible. Some that may be a detriment to your personal growth, some that just an annoyance. " He smirked at her. "And some that are plain charming." He finished, fondly tucking a stray strand of golden blonde hair behind her ear. "You are brave and a fighter, no matter what tragedy was thrown your way. You always picked yourself up and tried to find the goodness in each day, you cherish life and love with all of your heart. Do not let what Beryl's has told you, or your own fears of failure corrupt that good heart. You try so hard all the time to make things right, but your choices are never easy. I don't relish the struggle you must lead, being a Goddess trapped in a human body. But ultimately that is what you are...A Goddess." he finished softly, as she slowly rose back up. Staring off towards the towers with a new sense of purpose. A fortified confidence that she could do what was necessary to save her friends, this planet and the future. "Only you have

the ultimate power to change the world." Shingo finished, his voice strong and full of hope.

"Beryl stripped me of my powers...I am human now." She confessed, her voice weak, barely a whisper.

Shingo merely shook his head. "You can never be just human." He gave he a patient smile, standing up beside her. Slowly reaching for her face, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and forced her to stare into his eyes. Needing to make her understand his words and take them seriously.

"To be human is a fragile, fleeting state of being. Like a small flame, we have the potential to warm and protect others or destroy them. We are flawed and driven by our passions, we burn far to brightly during our short lives and are snuffed out far to easily, never to return again. We are not Immortal...we are not reborn but our energy returns to the fabric of the universe to be used again to power another mortal life." He answered, then turned from her, staring off at the morning clouds deep in thought. After recounting to this tortured Goddess the true mechanics of this Universe as he saw it. "That is why we need the protection from the Gods and why our small lives entrance them so. You existence, Sis is eternal. Your Destiny, is something far greater then a simple mortal life that is why you can never be just human."

"The Darkness is coming back..." She whispered, entranced by the silver threads now glowing in the depths of his eyes as he turned back to her. He lunged for her, gripping her chin and holding her firmly. Forcing her to stare into his eyes.

"That is why this world needs protection. The Silver Crystal needs a strong heart to wield it. Can you fight for this

planet...do you have the fortitude of character to build a kingdom strong enough to push it back into the frozen depths of the Universe?" His voice sounded off, as if he was under some sort of spell. Another pressence was possessing his body and using him as a tool to communicate with her. A muted crimson glow began to infuse the silver, tainting it like a mote of blood upon his stormy blue iris.

Something deep inside her soul responded to that pressence, reaching out to it as if pulled from her body towards a powerful magnet. The golden crescent upon her brow began to flicker and glow, attempting to come to life.

"Where are you mother..." She commanded, her heart slamming against her chest like a frightened bird trying to break free from it's cage. The communion of Immortal souls slowly overpowering her weak human body, making her feel faint and woozy.

"I am at the Celestial Temple." Shingo responded huskily, he was fighting against her now. His voice strained and tight, as he fought to push her power out his body.

Flashes of ancient memories exploded in her mind, the steppes of a vast mountain range, the peeks shrouded in fog.

Deep, dark forests hiding ancient foot trails and stone ruins. She knew with out a doubt exactly where her mother was.

"You can't use the Crystal...Hotaru is gone, Beryl is dead." She spat in a seething hiss, the pain of her Goddess mark burning her skin like a brand. Willing her mother to give up this vain pursuit, she had no way to succeed.

"I have come to realize this, I may have played my hand to early but I am not out of the game just yet. I find that I have one last card to play." Shingo growled out, his eyes now glowing with a sinister red light. Sweat rolling down his face, that was now deathly pale as his body fell into shock. Shivering fiercely as if he was freezing, straining not be devoured by the alien energy invading his mind.

Usagi gasped, worried he was going to be consumed by her mother's possession.

"Let him go!" She screamed, fighting against his fierce hold on her face. Struggling to break the connection, needing desperately to save his life.

As quickly as he had been possessed, his eyes dimmed back to their normal sky blue. Then with a strangled gasp of air, he released her chin and clutched his head and cried out in searing pain. Crumpling to the ground as if struck down by that uncompromising force.

"Shingo..." She wept, pulling him against her breast and holding him tightly. As he gasped and groaning in pain. His mind was on fire and his body ached from the violation. "I'm so sorry..." She begged again. "I am so, so sorry...I can make things right again." she sobbed, kissing her fingertip and pressing them lovingly against his forehead. Consoling him in the same familiar ways she had done in their youth. Trying to instill in him with the fond gesture, that she could still protect him.

"Please...just leave me alone, I can't take anymore of this." He growled, bowing his head in resignation. Then he recoiled out of her grasp and stumbled to his feet in terror, as if she had become some kind of demon.

"I...please...I" Usagi bolted to her feet, her expression one of panic and fear. Wanting desperately to console him, even though she knew he was pulling away. The very thought that he was terrified of her, tore at her heart and soul.

"Sis, Please. I'm all grown up now, ok. I don't need you to protect me, or fix things or anything. I just what to be free...ok. I'm sorry, but I can't handle anymore of the crazy bullshit you drag into my life." He eyes were pleading, wet with unshed tears. As he back pedalled, holding up his hands in a pushing gesture for her to back off.

She stood frozen before the bench, tears of understanding trailing down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut as grief started to consume her. This was hardest moment of her life, watching her brother run from her, not wanting anything to do with her ever again.

"Usagi...Nii-san..." He called brokenly from the sidewalk, now a safe distance away on the other side of the park. "I love you...please forgive me." He turned then ran full speed down the street, disappearing around a corner.

Usagi just stood there, blinking and trying to breathe. Her pulse was pounding in her chest, the skin humming with residual effects of her sudden panic. She stared helplessly towards the now abandoned street, as tears trailed silently down her cheeks. Her shoulder's sagged forward with the effort to steady herself. As fear and resignation dominated her soul. She needed to move on from this horrible moment, she needed to be strong. She understood the danger, that any human that was close to her could be used as a pawn to control her, it was better to let Shingo go.

Tiger had hovered nearby, leaning against the rough bark of a nearby tree. Keeping his promise to give them privacy. He crossed his arms over his chest and listened to every word of their heart felt conversation. The brutal honesty Shingo dished out towards his sister, tore at his heart. The boy held back no punches, he told her exactly how it is. She had to deal with all the venom, heart ache and resentment spewing from his mouth. She held together though, her face impassive even if her eyes were swimming with tears. It was testament to how resilient she was.

The boy tore into her, not out of malice but out of a need to humble her. To pull her out of her own head and have her understand reality for what it was. He knew his sister's flaws so intimately, the words he used penetrated deep to set her straight. To shatter all the delusions she sought to soothe herself with, and rebuild her faltering view of herself, Darien and this world with more clarity. His wisdom and understanding was uncanny and far beyond his age. Then things had spiralled out of control and her crescent mark had struggle to flare to life, he knew the power's of the Gods were at work again. As Shingo tore off, he quickly covered the distance between them. Gathering Serenity into his arms, thinking she was going to break down and would need his support. Instead as he started to curl her into his chest, she batted his arms away violently.

"I have no time for this. It's better this way. I need to disappear completely now. I was never meant to live a human life. I can no longer be hindered by that desire. I have a destiny to full fill and a Crystal to reclaim. This is my planet to protect and I will prove to my mother once and for all how powerful I am!" She proclaimed, storming off across the park, with Tiger trailing proudly in her shadow.

 **Rini**

She had wandered the streets with no real destination in mind, just a need to escape as far from Serenity as possible. As the fainest hint of dawn began to lighten the far corners of the sky. She was far beyond the city now, the wide open fields stretched as far as the eye could see. The man made barrier trees of wealthy estates flanked her, as she walked in no real hurry down an empty dirt road. Her sneakers crunching softly on the loose stones. An all encompassing sphere of darkness still cloaked the sky above her and the cold light of the stars spread over her head. This was the in between time, when darkness still fought valiantly against the light. Stubbornly refusing to give sway to the coming day. A lonely, desolate sensation filled her small frame. Making her wrap Helio's jacket more tightly around her waist. She just felt empty, devoid of life as she walked onward into nothing...towards nothing.

Lost and alone amid the stars, struggling with her fears, her sense of worthlessness. She had failed Helios, she should have protected him. Instead he had run into danger, thinking only of her. Paying for it with his life. He had been so brave...so selfless. She wished that she had died in the basement, it would have been so much easier then having to face this misery. Rini sighed brokenly, painfully, refusing to stare up at the eternal darkness above as she continued to walk. Aimlessly putting one foot in front of the other, apathetic about her future, her final destination.

Needing only to walk...

In time the pale mist of dawn still found her solemn. Trudging overland now across the grassy hillside, heading deep into the rolling prairie. As morning finally broke across the land, three young women stood in her path atop a flat boulder at the steppes of a plateau of large hills. Their dark silhouettes loomed above her, the long shadows they cast crawled over her hunched and morose frame.

Rini stopped in her tracks as the once piercing light of dawn was suddenly snuffed out. She slowly raised her head to

greet the intrusion upon her misery. Finding three teenagers a few years older, blocking the suns rays upon a moss covered boulder a few feet ahead. Their bodies were enshrouded in shadow, no detail could be seen. Resembling three creatures of pure darkness more then people. She squinted upward to try and determine through the sun's glare who these girls were.

"The Queen wishes to speak with you." The tallest of the group with a long brunette braid commanded. She stood resolute and strong, with her arms crossed over her breasts. Glowering down at her as if she was a mere bug, that she wished to squish under her heel.

"I don't know any Queens?" Rini countered, her hand sparking as she called for her Genesis to emerge.

"Don't care." The woman spun her finger in the air and her two companions lept from the boulder and sprinted forward to surround her.

Rini snarled, crouching low as an even more powerful Genesis flowed through her body. Her eyes flashed a pure silver as twin discs of light came into existence in her palms.

"Get her!" The leader screamed, as they closed in.

Thats it I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Working towards the finale now.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: SamSara**

They had scoured the streets of all the neighbouring wards, that surrounded Azabu until daybreak. Now exhausted and shuffling their feet down the sidewalk. Endymion and Hollywood squinted up into the bright morning sun as it cleared the steel tower's of the financial district they were currently lost in. Shading their eyes with their hands, heaving a long sigh of resignation. It had been a long and fruitless night, leaving them both feeling uneasy and tense. A desperation hung like a taunt string between them. The young girl's disappearance very much a time bomb waiting to explode.

It felt like time was running out...

"Well, I think we should head back to your place and check in with everyone." Hollywood advised, rubbing at a kink along the nape of his neck. "Then we can broaden our search, enlist a few more of the guys to help hunt her down." He groaned, as he rolled his head back and forth attempting to stretch out the annoying ache. Surprisingly, walking for hours on end turned out to be rather straining on his neck muscles. He may be a cage fighter, with a hardcore training regime. But the mental and physical duress he had been under for days was taking its toll. He needed to rest and he needed to eat!

Endymion merely nodded vaguely, squinting his eyes into the distance as if he could will her appear down the sidewalk. He had never given up hope all night. Figuring that somehow, someway he would magically track her down for Serenity. Indulging in fantasies of his triumphant return with her and recieving Serenity's very happy, very passionate show of gratitude. But as time went on he had resigned himself with the fact he may never find her. His elaborate delusions he had been fostering shattering with the cold hard reality.

That she was gone...both of them were gone...

"What the hell..." Hollywood gasped, as he noticed Endymion's body had began to glow with a golden aura. The man had gone rigid, staring off past the city skyline his eyes bleak and desperate.

"She just transformed..." he breathed. Endymion had no time to acclimate to the sudden awareness of her. Crumpling to his knees as a searing pain ripped through his chest. "She's fighting for her life!" he gasped, clutching his chest. Overwhelmed by her fear and desperation to get away!

"How far..." Hollywood urged, his legs coiled to run full speed to the young girls side.

"Miles...Kevin...She is miles away..." Endy grit his teeth as his body fought the intense pull of his Genesis to get to her side. He knew if he allowed it to manifest it would push his body beyond the breaking point. He had allowed it once, back at the Mansion. Tearing away from his bike just outside of the front gates, at a speed that defied all natural laws to get to Serenity's side before Beryl killed her. It had nearly killed him, his human body was to frail to endure that kind of intense physical duress for so long.

He couldn't allow his Genesis to kill him, Rini was just to far away...he had to let her go...and that in itself caused such an unbearable agony he felt his very soul was being torn from his body.

He had to put the world first, over her one young life. He needed to use his powers to help Serenity stop the Queen. He had millions of other lives to look out for. But his heart was tearing to shreds at not being able to save her, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as hot, repentant tears ebbed forth. Cascading down his face in endless rivlets.

"Sorry...Sere...I'm sorry..." He hissed in pain, fighting his urge to race to Rini's side. The need to protect her was a powerful force, as unyielding a command as it was for Serenity herself. Pulling upon every nerve, every muscle in his body. The will power needed to keep his body still was immense. This girl...Rini was more intimately connected to Serenity then he had first thought. There was no other way to explain the intensity of his reaction to her going into combat alone.

Hollywood was searching the empty street for a vehicle...kneeling beside his curled up form. Desperate to figure out a way to help when Endymion screamed out in raw agony, he voice ripping out of his throat in a brutal howl of eternal pain. He had endured Serenity's death far to many times, sensing her beautiful aura fading was leaving his heart a mangled, bloody mess in his chest. His body was soaked with sweat from fighting his Genesis, muscles trembling under the strain. Fire crept through ever limb, searing him bone deep at holding himself back. The pain was excruciating in it's

vehemence. Blinding him, sparking brilliant spots of white light behind his eyes. His whole body feeling as if it had been set a flame. Burning with guilt and eternal regrets at never being strong enough to protect her.

"Serenity!" He screamed in torment, sensing a piece of her soul come alive within the young girls body. Only to be snuffed out in the next instant. His mind reeled, plunging his soul back to that horrible past. As he was reliving the hell of his final moments with Princess Serenity all over again. Unable to save her, unable to do anything but scream her name as she fought her mother to the death.

It made no sense, but the trauma and brutalized emotions now consuming him were real. He had experienced them far to many times over the years to deny. Shuddering violently, as if convulsing under an electrical current. Hollywood hovered over him in helpless confusion. Then suddenly he fell still and silent. Gasping for breath, his whole body bathed in a cold sweat. Clawing at the cement weakly, his eyes bleary and unfocused. His body still shivering from the shock of the last few moments.

"Darien..." Hollywood shook his shoulders, his stomach burning with anxiety that his friend may be dead. "She's gone..." Darien groaned, feeling empty and broken inside. As if a piece of his own very soul had been torn away when the young girl's spirit ceased. She was gone, utterly and completely gone. Not even a trace of her could be felt between their link. He had know idea if she was dead or not? She had just ceased to be...

"As in dead?" Hollywood offered bleakly.

"I don't know...just gone...I can't feel her anymore." He responded grimly, his blue eyes staring mournfully at the cement. As he slowly peeled himself off the sidewalk, his body felt like he had just survived five rounds in the cage. Every muscle was burning, with a raw, penetrating agony. Barely able to hold up his own weight. His limbs quaking under the strain of pushing himself off the ground. Hollywood was quick to offer him a hand up, allowing him to lean against him as they slowly made their way down the sidewalk.

"Are you ok, man..." Hollywood asked quietly, next to his ear. As Endymion stumbled drunkenly against him. Leaning more then half his weight against the taller man, forcing Hollywood to latch his arm around his broader waist more firmly, lest his crumple to the ground.

"No." Endy stated back in a clipped tone. Feeling so emotionally vulnerable, so desolate right then he didn't know if he would ever be alright again.

When Endymion and Hollywood returned to the condo, they found the girls with Kane and Zac staring frozen at his flat screen t.v. Mina was in a pair of skin tight yoga pants and cornflower tank, Raye gripping her hand tight between them. Wrapped up in her maroon cotton robe, her dark hair was tangled and messy from sleep. Lita stood in Kane's embrace behind the couch, dressed in a smart black suit and white blouse. As if prepared to go to a business conference. Kane in a black sleeveless top and basketball shorts, the huge muscles of his arms flexing with righteous fury. Amy was curled up in a flanking arm chair with a cup of coffee in her hands, in a pair low riding jeans and a navy silk top that just touched the waist of her pants. Zac hovered beside her in his wheelchair, in just a pair of lime green plaid sleep pants. All their mouths were open in horror, looking devastated by what they were seeing. It was like time had stopped inside the living room, as Darien and Hollywood entered into their midst. All their eyes were transfixed upon the tragedies unfolding across the world.

Darien moved silently to stand behind the couch, with Hollywood at his elbow. His eyes cutting to the t.v screen curious as to what was making them all look so horrified. Taking in the flash images of several famous locations world wide that had now become war zones. People ran in panic through the devastated streets, huge fires were licking the sky beyond them, soot falling like snow to blanket the burnt out remains of cars and gutted buildings. The news banner scrolling across the bottom of the screen listed all the sites that had been attacked in the last twenty-four hours. It had been a precise, selective genocide aimed to annihilate the world both economically and politically. Millions were dead, hundreds unaccounted for and no one to blame. Endymion's eyes widened in alarm as he read the screen. The whole world had just been plunged into chaos, the governments scrambling to find the perpetrators to these multiple terrorist attacks. Tensions were high all over the world, in the next few hours borders would be locked down and travel suspended.

The sharply dressed, female japanese news anchor that usually brought them light hearted, morning news and traffic reports appeared on the screen. Her face grim, eyes mirroring the disbelief and dread that was rocking the whole world this morning. They were at the brink of the another world war, it was only a matter of time. Before the armies would be assembled and drone strikes orders given. Every country on the planet was looking for a target to blame for the mass murders inside their borders. Their leader's fingers poised to push that button, that would plunge the entire world into a new, more horrific war. When a sudden news feed from Washington D.C cut off her words of fake consolation.

An over weight texan, with thinning grey hair and terror stricken blue eyes was being handled rather roughly by the secret

service outside of the White House. He was screaming, desperately trying to get the Presidents attention. Howling about a new world order, that the rightful Queen was coming to claim her kingdom. She had purged the world of all the unworthy and would destroy all those who opposed her reign. That they needed to lay down their arms and submit to her or she would wipe the world clean of all humans and then rebuild it in her own image. He was shouting and struggling against the security men in suits gripping and twisting his hands behind his back. Soon handcuffed and beaten into submission, they guided him through the Great Room at the front of the most heavily guarded estate in all of the United States.

"That's..." Endymion began as the sharply dressed anchor appeared on the screen and finished his sentence.

"Robert Walton, Las Vegas Millionaire and MMA endorser was taken into custody. He will be detained and questioned in his involvement in these terrorist attacks." the news anchor's voice droned on in the background.

"Well, looks like they found their escape goat for now." Mina groused, crossing her arms and slumping against the couch.

Amy leaped off the chair, her face stricken with dread. Flanking the couch at a fast pace and headed out the door with Zac rolling on her heels.

"Wait...Amy!" He cried, still shuffling his feet into his loose sneakers. As she stormed down the outer hall.

"We have run out of time, I need to get that information off that toasted hard drive!" Amy shouted back, her voice pitched high in a state of panic.

Endymion raked his hands through his messy hair in rising frustration. Everything had gone to hell and none of them were prepared to fix it.

"What do we do now?" Mina groaned, casting each one of them pointed looks. Lingering her gaze upon Endymion. She was still having a hard time dealing with the fact that he was some long lost Prince, as well as her good friend Darien Shields.

Endymion caught Mina's calculating stare and promptly stalked out onto the balcony, unwilling to be around people who didn't understand him. He was far to agitated and had run out of patience for it long ago.

Lita took a deep breath, bowing her head in contemplation. Kane held her more securely, his hands splaying protectively over her stomach. He had no idea what to do, the world was spiralling out of control. So he held on to the only secure thing he had, Lita...

Raye cast Endymion a sad look of sympathy as he retreated into solitude outside. She decided to take one the mantle of explaining what had happened to her, Endymion and Amy in the last few days. Patiently explaining to both Mina and Lita how recovering her memories, much like Endymion hadn't changed who she was fundamentally. That she was still Raye Hudson, as much as she was the Guardian of Mars. That Endymion was still Darien Shields. Even though his pressence had become so much more commanding and regal. Exuding such a profound aura of personal power and majesty that was quite intimidating upon the others who had yet to ascend. She conveyed to them with such vehemence, such undeniable certainty that he had not become a different person. That he was still their friend, their family and that their wariness and distrust was hurtful to him. It had taken a while but they eventually understood. Each one had decided to accept Endymion, with no more scrutiny or confusion. Willing to pick up their friendship where they had left off days ago, as if nothing life altering had happened.

The next couple days past in quick succession. Lita and Kane spent most of their time with each other, avoiding the condo all together. Only showing up for the odd meal and to touch base with Darien. Hollywood was training to the point of exhaustion, communicating only through texts to Darien's new cell phone. Mina kept herself busy, with reviewing her coming class schedule for University on Darien's laptop. As if that act of normalcy would realign her life, that by this point had been tilted right off its axis. Amy and Zac had become connected at the hip, repairing Ido's computer. Spending so much time together they had formed their own private way of speaking to each other. Able to communicate with a nod or half a word, finishing each other sentences. All snuggly and warm sealed up tight inside their own freshly minted relationship bubble that the tension surrounding them was easily ignored.

Jed had been MIA since the night Sere took off for Osaka, they had all given up on him by now. He wasn't going to fight any longer and he had seemingly given up his promise to care for his younger brother as well. Zac was hurt that his brother had disappeared but he wasn't surprised at all. Jed wasn't a coward, but he also didn't get into fights he knew he was going to loose. Arrogant, self centered and opportunistic fit his profile best. Zac couldn't hate him for who he was, he was just disappointed. Jeds loyalty had been absolute once, but now with Amy in the mix. He understood Jed was giving him his space to create a new life. He was more then ready to cut the cord that had bonded them as twins, to become

his own man. With Amy at his side he felt like he could conquer anything this new world threw at him.

Raye had been dividing her time between Mina and Endymion. Being one who remembered the Silver Millennium, they shared a bond of understanding none could touch. She had become the anchor he needed to ground himself, when his worry and fear over Serenity sought to send him flying out of control. Mina accepted that Raye needed to console the Prince, he was having a very hard time letting his princess go.

Mina lounged on Darien's leather couch with is laptop on her stomach, dressed in black boy shorts and a sun yellow sports bra. She glanced over the back pillows at the huge patio window, finding Endymion pacing upon the cement balcony. In pair of grey sweat pants that hung low on his well formed, muscular hips and nothing else. His tanned, well defined chest rippling and stretching as he stalked the length of the balcony like a lion. Something he did quite frequently. With Raye standing nearby, the wind playing lazily with her flowing knee length wine red skirt. The white wrap shirt she wore, dipping alluringly over her breasts in a sharp angle. Mina sighed, licking her bottom lip anxiously. It had been over two days now and not a word from Tiger...

She was planning on heading down to Osaka and track her wayward best friend herself if they didn't get word today. She was a woman of action, always had been. She had been growing agitated for days, she need to be productive and sitting around waiting was not congruent to her mental health.

Endymion's chest hurt, it was so tight that each breath was laboured and painful. He found himself absently rubbing the ache near his heart through out the last few days. With no word from neither Tiger or Serenity, that pain had been steadily heating up into all out fury. It had been insidiously consuming him like a red hot blaze, as he reviewed his last conversation with her again and again. Hating that he had just agreed to let Tiger go off with her. Surrendering his claim as her protector and giving her into his care. He hated that man for taking her from him. He rounded on the brick wall at the edge of the balcony and cocked his foot up. Snapping his leg out in a side kick, his sneaker impacting the outer wall hard. Brick dust and mortar puffed out from the wall, as it shivered from the force of his strike. The festering anger was still there, writhing in his gut like acid. Where were they? What were they doing together? Did she care about him at all anymore?

He cocked his foot up and slammed it into the wall again with even more force. Raye folded her arms over her breasts, staying out of his way, as she surveyed his mental anguish mutely. Not intervening just yet, knowing he needed to burn off a bit of steam before she could talk to him rationally.

He felt like a beaten dog with his tail thrust between his legs. Worried and anxious for upsetting her, but unable to make things right. She was so angry with him for something he couldn't fix. She couldn't deal with his change and ran...straight into Tiger's arms. That man had taken her away from him! It hurt so bad, he could barely breath. His chest felt so tight that every sharp pant he made was painful. He knew his rage was getting the better of him. So jealous and helplessly frustrated by how things had gone down. He couldn't deal with it calmly any longer. She had needed space, needing time to work it all out. She hadn't left one god damn thing behind. Taking all that she owned with her in that beat up green army pack. It was as if she had never set foot in his life again. The complete absence of her this time was killing him!

Knowing Tiger was taking care of her, perhaps in all the ways she needed. Tore mercilessly at his heart. The endless rounds of mental torture his imagination was subjecting him to was driving him insane! He yelled and raged at nothing, his voice seemed so far away as his fury consumed him. Snapping powerful kicks after another into the wall until the mortar cracked and chunks of brick began to crumble away and fall to the balcony floor.

She hadn't wanted him around, his pressence only confused and infuriated her. What should have been a beautiful reunion ended up being a huge cluster fuck of conflicting emotions. She hadn't been able to deal with the fact that he had gotten all his memories back, while her first life remained a mystery. He knew she needed time but it was killing him!

He spun and punched the stone siding that flanked the balcony. Gritting his teeth in seething fury as the rough surface scraped off the first layer of skin off his knuckles. Staring down at his torn finger's with satisfaction as the burning pain throbbed through his hand. Blood beading over the surface of his torn skin, distracting himself from the tortured round his mind plagued him with.

She had left nothing in his condo, it was like she had never set foot in his life. He had nothing of hers to cling too in her absence, as he had before. The sense that this time she had tried to wipe herself completely from his life, ate at him like a cancer. Raking his hands violently through his dark hair, he slumped down the wall to sit stiffly on the floor of the balcony. He had promised he would keep Rini safe and in the end he proved to be a failure.

Failure...it haunted him.

Again and again he had never seemed to measure up in any of the ways that counted most. He hadn't been able to save her from Daniel, or Beryl's wrath...his words of love and protection seemed to mean absolutely nothing.

He reviewed his failures one by one, each memory a brutal lash upon his soul. That left jagged, weeping scars upon his heart that would never heal. He had been as worthless then as he was now...unable to get to her side in time when she faced off with her Goddess Mother. His weak human body giving out, under her mothers onslaught as if he had been but a fragile newborn babe. He had no idea what happened next, just that he had felt like such a failure unable to save his true love, in those last moments.

From then on, in every life he had been driven to condition his body for battle. To become physically stronger, faster, more agile...to be a perfect fighter, a living weapon pledged to defend her. Driven by his need for excellence and a will to always succeed no matter the cost. His incarnations evolved along the path of the protector up this point. As in this life as all others previous, it proved not to be enough to save her. No matter how hard he tried, how diligent his resolve to keep her safe. Their karma would manifest even stronger, nullifying his efforts. His cycle of being inadequate tore him to shreds in every life time and this one was proving to be no different.

His breathing had become ragged as he bordered on becoming hysterical. His vison began to blur as he became light headed. His eyes staring at nothing, as a myriad of tortured emotions swirled in his dark, stormy blue eyes. His pupils were slightly dilated, making him look absolutely horrified by what ever was tormenting him deep inside his mind.

His heart was pounding in his chest, a manic throbbing sound like the thunder of many hooves. His palms were sweaty and every inch of his skin crawled with chill bumps. He was shaking,his knees shivering as he slowly drew them up to his chest. He was having a panic attack, it wasn't anything new. Darien was prone to them, ever since Sarges death.

Raye scrambled to his side then, as he looked ready to shatter. Kneeling beside him and taking his hands in hers, attempting to draw him away from the demons tormenting his thoughts. "Breathe...Endy." She soothed, in a calm gentle voice. "Breathe before you pass out."

He closed his eyes, tears slipping unwillingly from his eyelids. Hating how helpless he felt. Burdened by an overwhelming sense of resignation that he may never be strong enough to prevail over his own Samsara. Peace...happiness...love...it was all such an elusive dream. Something he could never lay claim to.

"Endy...look at me?" Raye pleaded.

Startled by the firmness in her command. He bleakly opened his eyes, refusing to meet her stern gaze. He remained staring down at his feet morosely.

"She isn't dead..." Raye commented calmly.

Her soft, yet terse statement forcing him to look up and drawing him out of his head for a moment. Ever since the trauma of feeling Rini's soul disappear his emotional balance had been slowly unravelling. He kept reliving Serenity's deaths over and over again in his mind, obsessively driving himself to the brink of insanity.

"She just left...she isn't dead." Raye began again. "You need to breath, she is out there, she is safe and this isn't over.

You need to calm down." Her voice was stern and held his attention like a vice griping his sanity.

"You need to keep it together. I know what your feeling, I've been there. I almost lost Mina back in high school because I was weak. I couldn't face the reality that I was in love with her and by choosing to be with her I would have to sacrifice my relationship with my father. The only family I had left, since my grandfather had died. Losing your shit doesn't make her come back to you, it just aggravates your self loathing." She reminded him.

He had been there during their break up, he had watched as both girls spiralled out of control for a time. Mina had been quite destructive in the beginning, then had grown calm and patient. Happy enough to just be Rayes friend and never pushed for more. Until Raye wised up and found the courage to truly love Mina with all her heart and soul, giving a proverbial middle finger to conforming to what society and her father wanted. She has had no relationship with the man ever since, the girls and Darien had become her family and she had never regretted her decsion to follow her heart.

"She needs some space, let her have it. Ok." Raye stated. "You need to trust that when she has worked it all out, she will come back to you. Mina waited for me...she trusted in me. You need to do the same." Raye let out an exasperated sigh, when Endymion just stared at her like a broken man.

"What if she doesn't come back?" his plea was weak and full of remorse.

Raye offered him a knowing smile, moving to crouch in front of him and placing comforting hands on his raised knees.

"First of all, you don't give up on her!" She stared at him, the determination in her mysterious lavender eyes holding his gaze like steel cables. He couldn't look away, forced to absorb the strength and conviction she held in her eyes.

He merely nodded. "Second of all, you need to keep on living until she returns. No hiding away as if the world is coming to an end because she isn't around." Raye suddenly stopped, the irony of it all making her smirk and causing Endymion to laugh tightly.

"The world is coming to an end..." He stated with a small, irreverent smile.

"Ah, well...lets go out fighting then and not cowering under our covers like last time." She patted his knee affectionately and stood up. Reminding him sarcasticly about how the girls had found him weeks ago after Serenity Moon had rejected him outside her club.

Endymion's smile broadened fondly, as he nodded and stood up. The sad memory of a few weeks earlier when Serenity had crushed him and he had completely shattered. Echoed tauntingly in his mind. How weak and hopeless he had been. Needing the girls to come rescue him from drowning in his own depression. They had come to his aid like four heroic knights, pulling him out from his blankets and forcing him to live again. To keep fighting again to finally achieve his happily ever after with his Princess. If he truly wanted that outcome to happen, he couldn't roll over and die. He couldn't give up and stop fighting. With things as bleak and insurmountable as they are. This was the most important time not to give in to the doubts that plagued him. He had to find that inner source of strength to keep fighting, to keep hoping that he could change their fate. He needed to hold that hope tightly to his heart and never give in!

His expression softened and his eyes warmed with understanding. "I love you..." He pulled Raye into his arms and held her tight.

"I love you...too." She mumbled into his chest, rubbing his back up and down trying to soothe his crushing heartache.

They finished their business in Osaka and instead of boarding a bullet train back to Tokyo. Serenity had led him to a small private jet, on the tarmac of Osaka's International airport. Now they were flying over the sea towards Hong Kong. All commercial flights had been frozen due to the terrorist attacks, but smaller air taxis reserved for private commercial use still shuttled vital business men and those with enough money into smaller more obscure airports within the neighbouring countries. He didn't know how much she had spent getting them off Japan, but he figured it might have drained her whole savings.

With her brother gone and signing away all rights to her club to her shareholders. She had severed the last of her ties to this human life. Now she was running, towards what she did not know. Only that she needed to return to China. To finish what she had started over a year ago. She had abandoned her training and fled the monastery, to scared at the time to look back and find out who she truly was. It had taken her mothers complete disregard for her human brother to spurn her forward. Using him like a soulless tool to taunt her. With all her previous sins. To throw all her inadequacies as a guardian, for him, for this planet in her face. Now driven by a righteous anger to set things right, to seek her absolution for all the bad karma she had created in the past. She was prepared let it all go and embrace her true self. Her course was set and she headed into this unknown ascension with a single minded determination.

Tiger hadn't said much this time, just confirmed where they were headed. Resigned to the fact that she wasn't ready to go back to Darien just yet, that she still had things to deal with. They had been in the air for over two hours now. Sitting in the cramped confines of a tiny air taxi, in worn polyester seats with barely any padding. Serenity was lost to the cloud bank beyond her small round window, the wing of the plane groaning just on the periphery of her vision. Dressed in a simple white sundress with her hands folded in her lap. While Tiger's more weighty frame squirmed and rocked in his seat in obvious discomfort. The metal braces of the seat poking him unrelentingly in the ass...it was like sitting on a worn out fold out couch with no support. Tiger was growing more and more grumpy as the ride lengthened.

"Ouch..." He grumbled, leaning on one butt cheek. Cursing under his breath bitterly, while rubbing a hand over the rough blue jeans of his rump attempting to quell the ache. Then had to pull down his old grey t-shirt that had rode up his hips as he adjusted himself relentlessly. It had a worn out ironed on team emblem of an abstract Tiger in black. He had swiped it out of a good will bin back in Osaka, the shirt he stole from Darien ruined by sweat and alcohol backsplash thanks to Shingo.

Serenity turned with a weak, if sympathetic smile. "It will be over soon, hang in there Tiger-Chan."

He merely nodded a sour grimace furrowing his brow.

Serenity had managed to ward off any thoughts of Darien for most of the trip, but he haunted the back of her mind. Wanting to break what little restraint she had to not go running back to him. She needed to do this alone. This was a pilgrimage she should have completed a year ago. Heading back to the Shaolin Monastery to rediscover her fractured past and learn how to control the immense powers of her Crystal. Her emotions were grim, knowing that Po's son awaited her. Needing answers for his father's death and for her to take responsibility for dragging him into her war. His

death had been so pointless...the guilt burned deep inside of her heart. Searing her soul and creating a painful ache in her chest she couldn't her to rub aimlessly at the crease between her breasts, vainly trying to soothe the pain. It was making her so angry and resentful of her twisted life, that she wanted to scream. She wanted to exact retribution for his death, but on whom? His killer? Hotaru...she was already dead? Her boss...Beryl well she was dead too. Her mother...whom she knew was the master mind of all of this grief would get her's soon enough. But could she place any

responsibility of Po's death on her?

In the end, she shouldered most of the blame for what happened to Po. Her personal loathing shivered under her skin like an electric current. Always humming, always burning ever deeper into her mind and soul. Like a spiritual poison that was slowly killing her.

Tiger glanced over at her, watching the emotions surge across her face in a torrent of pain and rage. She was so twisted up inside, he hoped the monks could help her find some peace and understanding with herself. He didn't have the words this time to fix all the her woes and honestly words were to inept, to clumsy to heal such a tortured soul. She needed more this time, more then what he was capable of. So he bitterly resigned himself to just being beside her, to support her in what ever she decided to do.

Serenity passed him another brief look, noticing the concern and confusion in his eyes. With a heavy sigh she returned to starring mournfully out at the clouds. She didn't need his pity, the worry his held in his eyes every time he looked at her lately, was infuriating. So it was best to just ignore him when he was like this, lest she loose her temper and say something else she would regret. She had far to much regret as it is, she didn't need more. She just needed to do

this...alone. To learn to depend on only herself for once, she would find that bravery inside she had once laid claim to and nurture it this time.

She knew Tiger had wanted her to return to Tokyo, that this trip could have been taken with Darien and the support of the rest of her friends. He wanted to know why she was being so stubborn! Why she needed to do this alone, when obviously she had a whole team of support waiting for her back in Tokyo.

"He thinks your coming back today?" Tiger advised again, staring straight ahead down the aisle. Aimlessly watching the array of business men in suits and ties scattered around the compartment, attempting to get a signal on their smart phones or wi-fi on their laptops. Even ten thousand miles in the air these men could not take a break from work. A thin lipped smile of angst pulled on his lips, this could have been his life if he hadn't fallen in with Tomoe. A career, perhaps a family and kids by now he was closing in on thirty. If the Genesis Genes that had once altered his human body hadn't activated and turned him into beast. With Serenity's cleansing he had been revived to look more like twenty-two. He still felt like an old man inside, out of touch and falling further behind the world. A jaded, cynic that held very little regard for the world or the people in it. He only cared for one person in this wretched, self-centred society and that was Serenity. No one else and nothing else mattered but her. He was content with that life, following her around, keeping her safe and using every shred of his own abilities to help her achieve her own goals.

She gave him purpose...for a man with no past and no prospects for the future. She gave his life meaning.

"I know." Serenity acknowledged, offering little else on the matter. Her mind already embroiled with the repercussions of her lies. Endymion would be furious, the girls disappointed. Rini would probably never forgive her for abandoning her again. But she was unwilling to drag them any further into her fight. The final confrontation with her mother was her fate, she wished to shoulder it alone this time!

"Your breaking your promise, you barely gave the guy a second chance to mend things. This further rejection could break him you know." He shot back, grumbling choice swears over his seat as he slumped down. Trying to give his ass cheeks a break by pushing them over the rim of the thread bare chair, folding his arms over his chest. Looking like a pouting little boy other then a grown man.

"I can't think about that right now, I refuse to let myself worry about how he is going to handle this. I have more important things to stress over." She countered. "Please, lets's not talk about Endymion."

She finished stating her lover's new persona pointedly.

Tiger let out a weary sigh, "Fine, we won't talk about it right now. But sometime soon, you will talk to me. Because this sucks, Serenity. What your doing to him, to your friends. Abandoning them like this. It sucks balls and you know it." He replied with a knowing smirk, adjusting himself for the hundredth time in his cheap seat.

They landed in Hong Kong that evening and jumped on the first train heading out to Xi'an. It was the middle of the night when they stumbled up the stone steps to the Hill Temple, that guarded the foot of Mt. Song. Known as the lofty mountain, it was the central mountain in China. It was one of five mighty peeks know as the sacred mountains. Not many temples or monasteries remained upon the upper crags of these mountains, but those who had survived the eons remained well

hidden along narrow passes.

Tomorrow was going to be a long and treacherous climb to the upper reaches of the mountain, to the ancient Shaolin Monastery that lay nestled near it's peek.

Po's son would be waiting for answers up there as well.

The thought only added to the guilty weight currently crushing her chest. Serenity wearily scrubbed a hand down her face as she trudged up the last step, adjusting the strap of her old backpack on her shoulder.

"Where are we now? " Tiger's weary voice carried up the steps from below her. She turned with a sigh. "We are at a Taoist Temple at the foot of Mt. Song. The monks here care for the hikers and prep them for the climb ahead." As she passed humbly through the stone gates of the temple. The two holy statues of Dragon and Tiger guarded the front gates. Crouching like vengeful gods on the periphery of her vison, in the moonlight. Tiger passed the huge stone carved dragon a curious glance, his gaze falling in reverence upon the massive Tiger on the right of the massive pagoda gateway. Passing the statue an approving smile and nod.

The flagstone outer courtyard sprawled out before them, mostly barren. With a few large ceramic bowls and intricately carved iron towers used for daily prayers and ceremonies. The flag stones gleaming like ice in the pale light of the waning moon. That hung modestly over the tree tops of the temples inner forest. Several other clay tiled pagodas could be seen hidden amid those trees. The temple complex was not as large as most temples in China. But it still held a mystic, almost holy atmosphere. That hung heavy all around them as they made their was across the expansive outer yard, toward the main temple hall. A elegantly crafted hall had an organic constructed pagoda roof, with beautiful accents of carved eaves, window frames and doors and even girders. All were adorned with intricate character's of animals, trees, the sun and moon. All offering blessings upon all those who entered and lived within these hallowed ground. The temple was both modest and breath taking at the same time. Tiger found himself staring in awe at the masterful carvings, the history of the time worn structure was truly amazing.

"I like these guys already." Tiger commented, chucking a thumb back at the glorious Tiger statue guarding the entrance.

Serenity glanced behind, giving Tiger a knowing smile. Who smiled broadly back at her. The trip so far had been mostly filled with a brooding silence, intermixed with his vain attempts to lighten the mood.

"We will rest here tonight, then a monk from the Monastery will guide us up the northern peek to the temple tomorrow morning. So you need to get some rest, Tiger. Tomorrows hike will be gruelling." She advised, mounting the short stone carved steps to the outer platform the skirted the hall. The heavy oak doors groaned anciently as a Taoist monk dressed in the traditional white flowing shirt and loose black pants slowly opened the doors from within. He was a soft spoken, unassuming young man. With tan skin and dark, soulful brown eyes. His dark hair tied up in a top knot, as he greeted them with a small bow. His hands stuffed modestly in the wide cuffs of his shirt. Serenity offered the man a small bow in response as she entered into the warm light within. Tiger heaved a long sigh, rubbing the nape of his neck anxiously. Feeling that this pilgrimage was just beginning for both of them.

The monk led them deeper into the temple. The narrow passages were dimly lit by simple oil lamps, hanging from the high wooden beams over their heads. Humble and sparsely decorated, the passages seemed long and endless. The halls he led them down were silent and absent of any other living soul, who might live within these temple walls. It was as if the monks themselves were avoiding them. Perhaps watching discretely from a distance, as they wandered sombrely into their midst. Tiger kept a close eye, glancing warily over every inch of the hallways they were led down. Searching the shadows as if they were untrustworthy, in case these holy men might have a hidden agenda towards his charge. His guard was up, every heightened sense he had on high alert. If Queen Selene was planning any sort of ambush he wanted to catch it before hand. Serenity had filled him in on her little mind meld with her brother and the fact that the goddess could take over anyone so easily made him more then a little uneasy.

The monk ushered them to a small chamber at the far end of the hall. It was a simple room, divided by rice paper walls and bamboo flooring. Two futon mattresses were laid in the middle of the floor. With two, wooden carved lap trays set beside each one.

"You have arrived rather late and have missed our evening meal. We do not have much, but I shall return with some food for you." The monk offered, in a hushed polite voice.

"Shye-shye." Serenity thanked him in traditional mandarin before heading across the tiny room towards a mattress. He bowed to each of them before leaving. Allowing them some alone time to settle themselves in the spartan room.

Tiger leaned against a thick oak post that dominated the outer wall. His keen eye sight catching the flickering of lamp light just outside their room. A monk was patrolling the outer veranda just outside. He did't know if that was normal or if

certain safety measures had been taken to keep Serenity's pressence secure. He knew Selene didn't need to take over the minds of humans to infiltrate these temple walls. She could easily send in one of her many lackeys. He crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Serenity seriously.

"You have been rather quiet today." he stated.

"Just not in the mood to talk, alright." Serenity explained, avoiding his pointed stare by delving into her pack. Pretending she was searching for something she needed.

"Fine, mind if I go for a walk. I want to check this place out more thoroughly." He asked. Serenity passed him a knowing smirk. That was Tiger code for needing to explore every part of this place. Every night so far he would go out, leaving her alone in their hotel rooms. He never felt safe anyplace new, until he had found every hiding place and escape route possible. His little walk would last for hours as he navigated and memorized the sprawling grounds of this temple.

"Sure, knock yourself out." Serenity waved her hand dismissively.

"Thanks." He stepped away from the wall, casting her one final look of concern before pushing the front divider aside and disappearing down the hall.

Serenity waited until his footsteps faded away before rising from her mat and resealing the divider closed. Needing to give him sufficient time to move out of range, so he couldn't hear her begin to cry. She had been fighting with the tears all day. Holding them back for hours as they traveled inland.

Crying didn't make the pain go away, but for the moment it released a bit of the pressure she felt inside. Wallowing in her sorrow and regret in solitude was cathodic. She couldn't handle Tiger's sympathy or his need to try and fix her sadness right now. Deep down, she knew she was doing the right thing leaving them all behind. But the fear of confronting her mother alone, terrorfied her. The trails ahead when she reached the Monastery were just as frightening. She had so much to atone for, so much to learn about herself and her crystal. She wanted to be stronger, more self assured and mentally stable again. She wanted to find her true self and not be burdened by her past, or frightened of what she might find. She wanted desperately to be happy again, but the uncertainty and despair that followed her from one life time to the next seemed insurmountable.

She refused to believe that she was permanently broken, if she did that then she knew she would just roll over and die right then and there. She had to keep moving forward, keep her focused on her goals. She needed absolution and the only way to find it was to defeat her mother and reclaim her crystal. Crying wasn't healing her, it was time she stopped. She didn't need anyone to hold her hand and offer her words of comfort or support. She needed to do this on her own.

She knew Endymion wanted to help, wanted her to know that he was there for her in any way she needed. But this time she refused to cling to his assurances that he could handle what lay ahead, that he could keep her safe. She wanted to depend on her herself this time.

She quickly swiped away the tears, as the rice divider pulled aside. The monk silently carried in two trays of food. Discretely setting them down on the tables. He never let on if he had caught her crying. Far to disciplined and stoic to inquire about her tears. He merely kept his head down, not wanting to intrude upon her for very long.

She watched him leave, sniffing softly. She would dry her tears and would never allow herself to wallow again. There was a bravery inside of her, that this time she was going to find and nurture. This time she would keep herself safe...


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: SamSara**

 **Author's note:** I adapted the architecture and description of the location of the North Shaolin Temple, slightly.

The next morning found Serenity out on the back veranda of the main temple, sipping at a small ceramic cup of tea. Dressed in worn faded jeans a white tank top with a pink hoodie zipped up half way. She gazed reverently out from her solitary perch upon a velvet pillow, out over the lush landscape of the descending valley below. The soft dawn light was just cresting over the hills, warming the thick virgin forests. Of spruce and cypress, that covered the landscape in a lush, deep green blanket. While the sparkling Yellow river cut through the greenery like a blade. The slender ribbon of water sparkling in the distance. It was tranquil here at the foot of Mount Song, a sense of inner peace permeated this holy place. As if it was a nexus of cosmic wisdom and spiritual understanding that surpassed all natural laws. Serenity took a deep breath, smiling ruefully at how stubborn and closed minded she had been a year ago. So consumed by fear she would not allow this place to soothe her soul as she did now. If only she had taken that olive branch the Dyana Master had offered her, then. To train and meditate within the security of the Song Monastery, she could have achieved the various states of mind needed to control the Silver Imperium Crystal and they wouldn't be in this huge mess.

Tiger lingered back, leaning against a thick wooden pillar a few feet away. Eyeing her warily, lost so deep in her loathing and regrets she didn't even notice his pressence. He knew how bad she was hurting and it was killing him that he couldn't help. That all he could do was stand by and witness her suffering.

She had felt confident that she had been holding her late night crying jags secret from him over the last few days. But he had heard every one of her quiet sobs, his acute animal hearing offering him a keen surround sound experience to her all consuming anguish. Finding her sitting so solemn at the farthest edge of the temple, with wet trails of fresh tears rolling down her cheeks was not a surprise. He did not want to embarrass her so keep his silence, merely watching her with a Guardian's tempered concern. Folding his arms over his chest, regarding her sadly. Dressed in the same worn out jeans and wrinkled grey t-shirt from yesterday, having no interest in changing his clothes. He was in the middle of no where China, with no one to impress anyway. His vanity was set aside for larger concerns, namely his only friends slowly unravelling emotional state. Angrily seething at how helpless he felt and how anxious he was to get her the help she needed up at that god forsaken temple at the peek of this giant rock!

"Are you prepared to go, Serenity?" A soft spoken voice whispered from just behind them.

Tiger turned with a curious frown to find a young man dressed in the flowing orange training robes of a Shaolin monk. A dark black sash was tied around his thick waist and thin matching bindings were woven around his ankles and wrists. He held a long, heavy wooden staff in his right hand. Even though he stood as tall as a man his face was soft and rounded, his features sweet like that of a child's. With his dark black hair shorn tight to his scalp. Serious dark brown eyes regarded them both, concealing a hidden pain behind a shield of indifference.

"Delun..." Serenity gasped, quickly rising to her feet. Uncertain if she should approach him further, her feet remained planted upon the wooden veranda. As she tentatively reached for him, "Have...you..Have..." She stuttered out uncertainly. The pain of Po's death striking her hard in the chest again, now that she was confronted by his son. She was having a hard time breathing, as she regarded the stoic young man.

"Hai." Was all he offered, spinning on his heel and striding out of her reach. Heading down the long veranda expecting them both to follow.

Serenity scrambled to keep up, slinging her pack over her shoulders as she jogged away. Tiger gave the young man a confused scowl, following beside her dutifully. Some very tense emotions had passed between them, anger, resentment and confusion. All drawn tight like a band ready to snap. The monk had an uneasy history with Serenity, that he was valiantly trying to keep under control. His turbulent emotions were simmering just under the surface every time her glanced her way. Tiger could feel his distrust and silent scrutiny. But most definitely Serenity, could feel the waves of anger and resentment emanating from him. He was far to curt, to single minded on his duty as he led them out of the main courtyard and back onto the steep steps. That cut into the side of the rocky cliffside just beyond the temple gates.

They ascended deeper into the mountain side, leaving the foothills and rocky steepes behind. Their small troupe disappearing into the thick wilderness, of heavy forests and rocky terrain. Delun and Serenity's forced companionship a silent strain upon them all.

Tiger kept a close eye on the ever narrowing trail, worried that one wrong step and he would find himself falling to his death. Down into one of the many steep valleys of cypress trees that stretched far below them. The lush natural scenery was breathtaking as they ascended into the very sky it seemed. He could hear the softy whispering of waterfalls, just out of sight within the valleys below. His once raging spirit was now absorbed into the peaceful forests and sparkling pools of this wondrous, mostly untouched landscape that surrounded them on all sides. He had never felt so tranquil and calm in his whole life. The feeling of becoming one with the universe here, was as amazing as it was scary. It was as if he was leaving civilization behind and retreating away into the embrace of nature. Hidden and forgotten, he could relax for a time and just be. The sense of freedom it invoked was exhilarating. Taking a long deep breath, assimilating all the fresh scents of the forest. He thrust out his chest and grinned down at the forests rolling away down the cliffs with a sense of finally belonging somewhere. The comfort and total ease he felt, was like finally finding his home, his one true place in this crazy, mixed up world. He was already dreading having to leave this mountain, but he would...he would do anything to keep Serenity safe. He had pledged to protect her, to follow her into battle and stay by her side till the very end. Keeping to that vow was more important then finding his own inner peace.

Serenity trudged ahead, her mournful frown lingering upon Delun's back. As guilt and self loathing slowly began to suffocate her again. The boy strode up the narrow trail, his feet confident upon the loose gravel.

"Stop, staring so shamefully at my back." he commented crisply, "Your guilty eyes are unsettling and you are making me feel rather uncomfortable in your presence." Refusing to glance back, keeping his focus keen and alert to the winding path ahead he continued his assessment of her undeterred. "Your actions are quite inconsiderate and I would prefer if you would appreciate the scenery instead of my backside."

"Dui bu qi?" Serenity offered sadly.

"I accept your apology, but being able to forgive you is rather more difficult at the moment." he responded with a heavy sigh.

Serenity merely nodded, casting her gaze shamefully to the side. Refusing to look at him, as their journey up the mountain stretched on.

Tiger observed the tense exchange with further curiosity. The tense feelings of resentment the young man held for Serenity was palatable. What was her history with this kid?

By noon, they had ascended into the higher reaches of the mountains. Stoping at a bluff of tall grass upon a cliffside for a short rest. The cliff over looked the more barren northern side of Shaoshi Mountain. Sheer walls of stone ascended around them now, the hardy spruce and cypress trees becoming more sparce. High above the jagged, grey outline of Junji peek hovered ominously. Serenity found a secluded spot amid the small glade of guarding trees near the cliffs edge. Tiger found her staring off over the cliffside, a sad and pitiful sight to behold. Her doleful eyes filled with shimmering tears yet again. Sitting so deeply in the tall grass, under the heavy shade of the trees it was as if she was hiding.

Tiger braced his hands on his hips, shooting the young man who was on the opposite side of the bluff a sharp look. He was currently digging into his own woven satchel for provision completely oblivious to the heated glare sent his way. Tiger was indignant, bordering on furious at how childish the monk was acting. Refusing to even speak with Serenity all morning, ignoring her outright and casting her small glare out of the corner of his eyes full of hatred and blame. He had no idea what was going on between them but the boys passive aggressive rage was wearing upon Serenity like thousands of small shallow cuts upon her heart. That stung and bled, creating a wound much larger and more pronounced then before.

Serenity felt horrible enough already, she didn't need this boys silent hatred as well. Something was seriously up between them. He wasn't going to just stand by any longer and allow this simmering pot of loathing to continue boiling between them. With a resolute grunt, he headed off towards Serenity's hiding place. Intent on getting to the bottom of this and putting an end to it.

Serenity never acknowledge him as he sank down upon the ground beside her. Watching with raised brows, as she bitterly plucked grass from the earth like a sulking child.

"Talk." Tiger spat crisply.

"About..." Serenity responded pedantically. Refusing to look at him.

"Seriously, you want to play this game?" He ground out. "If the adversarial tension between you two was any more strained, I would think you were bitter enemies?" He sighed.

"No...I am just unwelcome." She sighed.

"Who is he?" Tiger groaned, giving her shoulder a small companionable shove.

"Po, Chang's only son." She moaned back, flopping onto her back in defeat.

"Sumo Samurai's son!" Tiger snapped his head back in surprise, as his eyes followed her deflating body to the ground. That giant kung-fu warrior had been a huge pain in the ass when he had been in China on assignment with Beryl a year ago. The man always seemed to move so much faster then one would assume, for a man of his height and bulk. He had been one of the few fighter's he had approached with caution. The man had the skill and prowess of a true hunter.

"He used to throw me around like a fricken' rag doll!" Tiger wailed, squeezing his eyes shut in painful remembrance of those horrifyingly embarrassing battles. The man's hands were, swift and unyieldingly strong. Carrying a concussive force of a Sledge Hammer.

"Yep." She sighed.

"I thought I saw his body back at the mansion." Tiger's eyes fell mournful as he reviewed the past.

"Yep." She stated, bitterly. "By now, the Monastery must have received word of his death."

"I see..." Tiger glanced over his shoulder at the kid, his eyes no longer burning with malice but somber with regret.

"I rightly deserve his hatred." She stated, woefully. "Dragging his father off into my war, when it wasn't his to fight." Her words rang with a loathing melancholy that infuriated Tiger.

"Hey! I wouldn't go that far." Tiger shot back, jumping to her defence. "You might have introduced him and his brethren to the war between Ido and Tomoe, but you did not give him a formal invitation to join up! That was his call, his choice." He refused to allow her to cast stones at herself. His death was not her fault.

"Their monastery had been charged to protect the Silver Crystal until its rightful heir arrived to claim it. I am that heir, as such Po felt it was his duty to protect me, until I was ready to wield that Crystal!" She shouted back, scrubbing her palms up and down her face in frustration.

"He died because I was to stubborn and scared to take up my birthright, when I had the chance! I could have prevented these last forty-eight hours, I could have stopped my...moth..." She swallowed hard, unable to bring herself to call that horrible, power hungry woman her mother. "The Queen from unleashing hell back at the Aquarium, I could saved hundreds of lives in the last year. I need to take responsibility for my cowardice." She slowly closed her eyes, allowed a few stray tears to creep out of the corners and trail down her temples and into her hairline.

The sight of her looking so broken, ignited a fire of indignation inside of Tiger that could rival most raging infernos.

"Enough!" He shouted, crouching down beside her head and glaring dangerously at her. "I refuse to allow you to wallow any longer in this personal loathing!" He reached down and grasped her shoulder's, shaking her hard. "Get over it! You made decisions in the past that might not have been the most honourable, but you felt they were valid for you at the time. Own them and move on! You are facing your fears now! Willing to fight and sacrifice your life to stop your mothers heinous ambitions. You are willing to do everything you can to protect this planet and secure a future of peace and prosperity. You can't change the past, so stop beating yourself up over it!" He snarled, the righteous fury burning in his eyes was startling.

"Tiger..." She whispered, her eyes wide in shock. She had never seen him look so driven, so full of righteous anger and frustration.

Then he growled and stormed away towards the young monk. Serenity sat in silent humility, as Tiger took control of this uncomfortable situation. Seeking to right her wrongs for her, by confronting the hurting young man and find a common ground she could not claim.

"Hey." He raised a hand in greeting, gaining Delun's attention. The young man acknowledged him with a curt nod, having settled himself down a set of flat stones that over looked a steep drop off into a rugged valley below. With his legs crossed the flowing fabric of his pants, ballooned around his ankles like a robe. He sat stiffly, with his back straight. Hands laid loosely upon his knees, in a typical mediation pose. He had spread out their lunch of three small bento's upon a plain white cloth on the neighbouring rock, creating a squat table between them.

"Hungry?" he offered, inclining the food with a lazy flourish of his hand.

"Not really, I want some answers more then lunch." Tiger stated gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest and glowering down at the annoyingly calm young monk.

Delun merely nodded, staring up at him impassively. Not suspecting in the least the tongue lashing he was about to get.

"Please sit, if you wish to talk frankly. I would like to converse on equal ground. Staring up at you like this is rather uncomfortable." Delun refused to look up again, adjusting his long flowing pants with trembling hands. Feeling his whole being was now under intense scrutiny by the older man's accusing glower. His rather blatant hatred towards Serenity, finally drawing this uncomfortable confrontation between them.

"Fine." Tiger huffed, plunking himself down on the other side of the rock roughly. Folding his arms over his chest he regarded the now very nervous monk, with a calculating eye. Delun cleared his throat several times, picking at the frayed ends of the makeshift table cloth. Waiting for Tiger to start his inquisition.

"How old are you?" He started, softly. Biting back all the harsh words he wished to say in defence of Serenity. The boy really needed a good reality check about his father but he kept it to himself for now. In the end Delun was hurting and his behaviour as childish as it was, was totally normal.

Delun was instantly off guard, having expected Tiger to lash out and put him in his place so speak.

"Twelve..." He stated quietly.

Tiger merely blinked, not all that surprised to find out that he was still very much a child. A child who possessed the stature and height of most fully grown adults. Being the prodigy of Po, who had resembled an ogre more then a man in life was totally expected.

Tiger merely scratched his head and nodded.

"Have you been at the monastery long?" He added,

"Since my mother's death seven years ago, I was sent to live my father here on Mount Song." He answered in a painful rush. "Thanks to Serenity, I have no family now." He grumbled, casting his stone of blame towards her. As he glared heatedly towards her hiding spot in the trees.

"So in your mind, she brainwashed your father to swear fealty to her and follow her around like a body guard until he got himself killed?" Tiger mused, in a sarcastic tone. Belittling subtly the unfounded blame Delun bore towards Serenity.

"In many ways, she has." Delun confronted him, snapping his dark, serious eyes back towards Tiger with a cold, unyielding stare. A bold, unwavering truth reflected back at him from the depths of the boys eyes. "She is the last reincarnation of the Moon Princess of long ago. The last living heir to the greatest relic of purity this universe has ever known. She may lay claim to a mortal shell, but the power and sanctity of a Goddess still lies within her soul. She holds the potential to save or destroy this planet. How could any mortal man deny a calling so powerful as to protect the saviour of our world? " Delun confessed, softly. "I was his only son,...his flesh and blood. I loved him, honoured him and tried my best to make him stay by my side. I wanted him to watch me grow up, to be my father for just a little bit longer. But in the end, my needs, my devotion to him wasn't good enough. It hurts to realize that she was always more important to my father then me." He moaned, the deep gash that Po had inflicted upon his heart now raw and bleeding after his confession. Delun slowly rose to his feet, sniffing sadly as he valiantly held in his tears. "I find my fathers choices rather painful to endure, so for the time being I choose to scorn and despise her. Hate is far easier for me to deal with then the truth. Perhaps one day I can reflect upon his rejection of me in a more logical, unemotional way. But for now the pain of it is to fresh, I hope that you can understand." he gave Tiger a curt nod and scrambled to his feet, "If you will excuse me I need some time alone." He then turned on his heel and strode away. Heading over to the opposite side of the clearing, to stare forlorn down the steep cliff side as if seeking his solace there upon its barren landscape.

Tiger sighed heavily and scrubbed his hands through his hair. He could not fault the young man his healing process. In many ways he understood the resentment and hatred he felt, as if at one time in his own youth he had despised some one else for taking away a loved one? But who? The vague sense of deja vu taunted him. Delun's words, like a pebble cast within the vastness of his subconscious had created a ripple of memory that he just couldn't reach. Tiger winced in pain at the emotional turmoil this conversation had invoked, pinching the bridge of his nose and seeking to cleanse away the unwanted feelings of connection he now felt between them. He was loyal to Serenity, it felt like some kind of betrayal to find such a profound sense of understanding with Delun. He needed to get his head on straight again.

"What a mess..." He groaned, his statement holding many levels of meaning not just for himself but for Delun and Serenity as well.

The warmth of the afternoon sun had lulled her mind as she stretched out upon the tall grass. Every muscle was slowly relaxing into a state of lethargy as her eyes grew heavy, soon unable to fight the need to sleep. Serenity welcomed it like a soothing balm to take away all the pain and turmoil she felt writhing inside of her. Eagerly casting her consciousness into that well of peace and tranquility. Desperately craving a place to retreat to, a place just be numb...so she sank gratefully into a deep, dreamless sleep...at least at first.

 _A muted darkness surrounded her, b eneath her knees a low rumb le vib rated against her skin. Her palms were pressed against something warm, something solid and alive...She strained to hear the faint whispers that echoed to her from just b eyond the darkness. She continued to kneel there in the void, taking in one slow b reath after another. After a moment the voices changed, she could b arely make them out now. But they seemed to b e singing, distant and melodic they called to her. She tried to make out what they were saying, even the melody b ut the voices slipped through her mind like Coi fish in a pond. No matter how hard she tried to catch even a note of their eternal song, the tones seemed to fade from her consciousness as if they never existed at all. It was frustrating and thrilling all at the same time._

 _A strange exhilaration hummed through her as if she was playing a game of tag with the distant music._

" _You don't follow directions particularly well, Serenity." A cool, silky voice echoed down to her._

 _Serenity choked b ack a gasp and snapped her eyes open, the woman's stern voice having infiltrated her_

 _flimsy meditation like a knife through b utter. She slowly craned her head upward, confronting only darkness at first. Finding with anxious fear, two pale b lue eyes as eternal and timeless as the moon itself scrutinizing her. Unab le to endure the cold, steel of those eyes she quickly averted her gaze. Hanging her head in defeat as she slowly pulled her small hands away from the warmth of the crystal pillar she had b een communing with._

" _I am sorry, mother. I will try harder." She whispered sadly, falling b ack on her b utt. Resting her b um against her heels,_ _unab le to find the energy or drive to remain kneeling b efore the pillar of prayer any longer. She focused now on the soft, silken fab ric of her white night gown against her skin. Needing a small reprieve from the pressure of her mother's reproving gaze and the pull of the mighty crystal that towered over her._

 _They had b een toiling inside the prayer room since long b efore dawn, her mother having dragged her out of her cozy b ed to b egin her training the morning of her tenth b irthday. Just as she had b een promising for the last few years. Since she had started her training, at the tender age of five. So that one day in the distant future she could take her rightful place upon the throne of the moon. But she needed to learn to use the Silver Imperium crystal, to sway its allegiance away from her mother. If she couldn't claim her mother's crystal as her own, then she could never b ecome queen._

 _Queen Selene's over zealous, excitement of her daughter communing with the Crystal, had b een quickly dashed b y how ob viously her daughter struggled to connect with the immortal star seed. Even with the aid of the pillar of prayer, that amplified their goddess powers. She still could not even touch the surface of the crystal's consciousness. It was troub ling how difficult she found the simple task of meditation, she was a goddess and possessed a superior state of mind. Her should find clearing her mind as easy as b reathing. Her thoughts should not b e cluttered with useless musings like that of mortals. Yet here they sat for the last few hours in fruitless effort. This whole experience that should have come easy and awe inspiring to her daughter was a b it overwhelming... for b oth of them._

 _With her head b owed, Serenity saw nothing b ut the watery image of her folded hands upon the white silk fab ric draped over her knees. Swallowing b ack her tears of frustration that she had yet again disappointed her mother. She never seemed to measure up, always struggling to b e the heir her mother wished she could b e. The queen never could deal well with her daughters, whimsical almost pragmatic nature. That led her to dream and flit from one flight of fancy to another. She never seemed to take anything seriously, so the fact that she wasn't focusing as hard as she could to commune with the Pillar of Prayer should not come as a surprise for her._

 _Queen Selene released a tight b reath, pinching the b ridge of her nose. "Serenity...I am finding your lack of success at this rather inconvenient."_

 _Near her head, Serenity felt the air shift announcing that her mother had risen from her kneeling position b eside her to retreat a few feet away._

 _It alleviated some of the pressure she felt, when her mother had b een practically hovering ab ove her during her last attempt to contact the Crystal's consciousness._

 _Serenity released a low b reath of her own, b linking rapidly to clear the tears now clogging her eyes. "What were you thinking ab out, b ecause ob viously you were not focusing on the crystal at all?" The clipped tone in her mothers voice only compounded the knowledge of how b rutally she had failed yet again._

" _I...I...I..." Serenity started to stutter, her heart speeding up rapidly in her chest as she felt her mother's ire pound into her._

 _Filled with fear and panic, she sought to explain herself as quickly as possib le._

" _I could hear music...b ut as I drew near it always slipped away...I thought we were playing a game...the crystal and I..."_ _She moaned, swallowing a knot of greater disappointment when her mother did not respond. Waiting anxiously for her to say anything, do anything to soothe the ache of failure she now felt. A moment later the sharp, clipping sound of her mother's footsteps upon the marb le fading away was her only answer._

 _Her heart was thrown into a fit of feverish racing, her mother was ab solutely disgusted with her and had now sought distance. With great effort, she twisted her b ody upon the stone dais to sit sadly upon her b um. Her legs had long since gone numb and they tingled maddeningly from her thighs all the way down to her toes. She stretched her legs out in an attempt to regain b lood flow, as she leaned her b ack against the warm, iridescent surface of the Crystal Pillar. Taking one long shaky b reath after another, as she picked nervously at her flowing white skirts. That trailed away down her long, spindly legs to her ankles. She refused to look up from her lap, waiting a few moments longer until her mother's footsteps no longer whispered in the distance. Slowly raising her wet, crystal b lue eyes upward towards the apex of the vast open rotunda of the Prayer room. She followed the b rilliant glow of the pillar upward, the b ulk of its b ase ob literating any view she might have had to the moons landscape b eyond. Tracing it's length ever upward as the spire grew thinner and sharper towards it's peek. Ab ove it's peek was a faint realm of muted light, soft and undulating like moonlight. The light of the pillar illuminating a small portion of the sky ab ove, b locking out the stars. But if she squinted, she could see past that light to the darkness b eyond and the small scattering of starlight that lay there._

 _The warm dawn wind b lew over her heated skin, that was flushed with overwhelming emotions. Her whole b eing was now drowned in turmoil, her stomach churning with fear and disappointment. Unwelcome ridicule stampeded through her thoughts as she condemned herself as a useless, untalented, and ultimately unteachab le goddess. Who had b ecome only a b urden to her mother._

 _Serenity sniffed loudly, as tears rolled unwillingly down her cheeks. The wind tossed loose tendrils of her light b londe hair over her shoulder's and across her cheeks. The hair shone with a tint of gold, not a pure silver tone as her mothers. A fact that only taunted her every time she looked in the mirror, that she wasn't as pure and eternal as her mother. Somewhere along the way to her b irth, her soul had b een muttle less then worthy power that had tainted her spirit and created a less powerful version of her mother._

 _She rolled her head tiredly to the side, needing a fresh view. Not wanting to dwell upon her failure with the crystal any longer. Wallowing in her insecurities did her no good, she needed to settle her emotions and resurrect that stub b orn will to never give up that had seen her through her mother's gruelling training thus far._

 _Slowly the haze of b lindness from staring at the crystals b rilliant glow, lifted. Revealing the elegantly carved marb le pillars that surrounded the outer chamb er of the pray room. They were as majestic and ethereal as the rest of the Moon kingdom. Shimmering with an inner light that spoke of the god's realm, only here did reality seem more holy, more immortal. Everything here was imb ued with an unmeasurab le amount of spiritual power that the mortals who worshiped them could never fathom. Just b etween the pillars, she could see the horizon of silver dunes warming with the coming light of dawn. The stars ab ove slowly fading away, as the moon kingdom welcomed a new day. She searched the skyline desperately for her touch stone. The one constant in her life that she always found solace in. Finding with a b reath of relief the glorious b lue and green orb of the earth, hanging modestly in the far distance, just b eyond the dunes. The earth moved very slowly across her sky, rising and setting with an infinite amount of patience. It changed in size b ecoming smaller or larger as the moon shifted its orb it when the seasons changed. But always she could find it's peaceful countenance hanging just out of reach. Allowing her to dream, to contemplate how freeing it would b e to escape her destiny and hide there amid the mortals. To have a simple life among them, with out duty or responsib ility. To finally b e allowed to live for herself and only herself. To no longer b e chained to her mother's throne, forced to act and struggle towards something she never wanted._

 _Serenity slowly closed her eyes, unab le to b ear the painful longing staring at the earth invoked in her heart. She tried to keep them shut, b ut the soft humming of the pillar called out to her. Its voice sweet and almost pleading for her attention. Ultimately she would never b e ab le to run from her destiny. She was of the b loodline of the gods, her future could not b e changed. To fight against that would b e pointless, as futile as fighting against a coming Tsunami. It would rise with or without her approval, over taking her life in one swift, all powerful wave. That would ultimately drag her away from her own wants and dreams and drown her under the pressure of ruling a Celestial Kingdom. Her destiny was to live for others and not herself, she knew this even at this tender age, she understood her royal duties._

 _Involuntarily she found herself searching the stars ab ove her, the darkness warmed to a dull grey from the b listering light the pillar gave off. There was nothing she could do now, b ut wait and listen. She would spend her tenth b irthday, metaphorically chained to the pillar of prayer seeking to commune with the Imperium Crystal. Her mother's will to powerful to ignore or take casually, ab ove all else, she would always seek her approval. Even at the expense of her own needs, her own happiness. Pleasing her mother was always something she strove the hardest for. But it was an insurmountab le climb , she would set to a task with a single minded determination. Only to find b y the time she had achieved her mother's goals, the queen would have already set new, more difficult challenges for her accomplish. She couldn't keep up to her demands. The tireless, controlling task master that she was, Queen Selene expected excellence from her daughter in all things. Pleasing her mother would one day kill her...so Serenity made a vow to herself upon the dawn of her tenth b irthday. That she would chart her own course from now on. She would no longer work herself into the ground, pleasing her mother wasn't something she could achieve. It was time she started to work towards her own goals, not for her mother b ut for herself. Ab ove all else she did not desire her mother's happiness, b ut her respect. Serenity turned towards the pillar, her eyes clear and set with an unyielding determination. She pressed her palms against the pillar and b egan to b ow her head in supplication. Following her mother's meditation practices, she cleared her mind and sought out the soul of the Imperium Crystal._

Serenity jerked awake, startled by the clarity of the memory. An unsettled feeling of something unfinished washed over her, as she snapped herself up into a sitting position. Her back was rigid, her wide bleary eyes scanning around the bright glade for any sign of her companions.

"Morning." An amused, yet gruff voice echoed down to her from a nearby elm tree.

She twisted her neck, finding Tiger lounging high up in the canopy. His legs dangling lazily from the thick branch, back pressed up against the main trunk. His upper body and face slightly obscured in the heavy curtain of leaves.

"How long was I out?" Serenity groaned, slowly rising to her feet.

"About an hour I'd wager." Tiger answered, pulling his legs up and out of view as he got ready to climb down.

"Were's Delun?" She scanned the open glade just beyond the trees finding no sign of the disgruntled monk.

"We had a delightful little chat about what a bastard Po was as a father and then he took off." Tiger shrugged, as he landed softly on the ground. Having lost interest in climbing down gently and had leaped off the branch he had been sitting on.

Serenity reigned in her sudden rage at Tigers flippant opinion of Po, curling her hands into fists at her sides instead of hitting him. Tiger could be so tackless sometimes, she just wanted to beat some manners into him.

"Its still a long hike to get up to the Mountain Gate, the Temple is still many miles away." Serenity sighed, hefting her pack over her shoulder and striding away. "Well we better get going, he'll catch up...or he won't." She sighed, holding her head up with a sense purpose. A new clarity had taken shape in her mind, clearing away the guilt and sadness that had been dragging her down lately. She couldn't make things right with Delun and it wasn't her place to try. Po had made his decision and Delun had to deal with the consequences. She had to stop wallowing in the unjust circumstances of the past and focus all her energy in saving the future. She took to the narrow dirt path with her head held high and her determination set.

Tiger saw the sudden change in her demeanour, her spirit was no longer wilted and fragile. An inner strength and an unyielding will to prevail had fortified her body and soul. She was on a mission now and nothing and no one would stand in her way.

A proud, brilliant smile spread across Tiger's face as he scrambled to keep up to her undaunted pace.

"That's my girl!" he whispered, nodding his approval. She had finally gotten it all worked out in her head and got herself back on track.

Evening was falling by the time they passed under the huge, east mountain gate. A gigantic monolith of carved stone, with huge engravings of Chinese sanskrit along the columns in gold. Three elaborate pagoda arches rose up into the sky, the roofs tiled clay shakes and their gold relief shone brilliantly in the setting sun. As if the very top of the arches had been set a blaze. Serenity paused at the entrance to the Monastery, casting her gaze back over her shoulder. Taking in the sad, plodding visage of Delun trailing in their wake. Tiger placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, redirecting her attention to the vast courtyard just beyond the gate. She could no allow herself to become distracted again by the drama that surrounded her. She had a mission that was far more important then tending to a grieving child, she could not afford to lose momentum now. With a curt nod she strode ahead under the central arch, stepping humbling into the holy grounds of the Shaolin Monastery.

It was a huge complex of seven halls on its main axis with seven more halls built around them. Magnificent pagoda towers ascend upward into the sky and at least seven elaborate courtyards surrounded the various buildings. All ancient and full of history. The walls painted a bright red with beautiful pagoda roofs and simple, yet elegant windows of various shapes and sizes. Greenery of all sort was sprawled over the courtyards, old spruce and elm trees grew amid the buildings. Shrouding the natural corridors between in deep shade. Some of their bark slightly marred by holes, thanks to the monks century of training in finger punching.

It had taken the whole day to traverse just this small portion of Mount Songs smaller peaks, to the foot of Mount Shaoshi the central peak in this range of mountains. The larger mountains that surrounded the Temple, rose into sky, stretching towards the clouds jagged and forbidding. Steep cliffs, barren crags and rocky outcroppings surrounded the temple, cutting it off from the rest of the mountains. Providing a natural moot to protect it's modest walls. Just beyond the cliffs the neighbouring peaks rose up into the semi-darkness like giant stone guardians. Swathed in the majestic colors and hues of ruggid forest and barren slops of stone. Concealing and protecting this holy site from the rest of the world.

Serenity never broke stride as she walked down the main aisle between a line of large statues. Of warrior monks clad in armour, with their heads bowed and hands drawn up to their chests. One hand in a fist with the other palm pressed serenely into the side of the fist. Tiger was in awe again at how spiritually inspiring the atmosphere inside the temple grounds was. This place was sacred, filled with thousands of years of knowledge. An unrivalled strength was imbued in every aspect of it's architecture. The sweeping roofs held a knifes edge, while the archways were rounded and gentle. Speaking of the buddhist philosophy taught within the halls here. Tiger could feel the ebb and flow of the spiritual energy the temple had absorbed over the centuries. In the distance the cries of monks echoed as they trained, filling the air with the song of combat.

Tiger had begun to trail behind Serenity as she mounted the stone steps to a large, gorgeously painted and elaborately decorated hall. His steps flagging so much that the brooding Delun had caught up to him.

"What is the hall called?" Tiger asked, quietly.

"Devijara Hall." Delun muttered, his staff clicking on the flat stones of the courtyard as he approached Tiger from behind.

He silently passed the gawking man and ascended the steps after Serenity.

"You think giving me a tour later is a possibility?" Tiger called up to the young man with a small smile.

Delun turned with a somber, dismissive expression.

"Not at all, my friend." A soft, melodic voice as gentle as a summer breeze echoed down to them.

Serenity stalled instantly as she reached the wide, upper veranda, finding the halls large wooden doors open. A warm light welcoming them from within, the silhouette of a tall, broad shouldered monk stood just inside the doors. Dressed in the yellow and red robes of a disciple, he greeted each of them in turn as they approached. His head was clean shaven, with warm hazel eyes that were bright with mirth. The corners upswept slightly, speaking of a muted chinese heritage. His skin was lighter more milky then bronzed.

"I seek the council of your Master?" Serenity demanded crisply, her tone all business. Not wishing to be sidetracked in her quest with what ever pleasantries he might offer them.

"As expected." He smiled stiffly, then clapped his hands twice. Two younger monks dressed similarly appeared in the hall behind him.

"He is in meditation on the cliff behind the Temple, allow these two humble servants to escort you to his side." He waved her onward with a gentle flourish of his hand. She gave him a curt nod and walked past him. When Tiger made to follow the disciple turned and blocked his path.

"I shall escort you to the guest hall. You must be both thirsty and hungry from your long trek up the mountain. Delun return to the monks yard." He commanded the young man sternly, before offering Tiger that same fake welcoming smile.

Tiger narrowed his eyes, his hackles instantly up at the man's less then honest expressions.

Delun sighed heavily then jogged away down the hall. Tiger allowed the man to guide him down a more narrow side hall for now. Understanding begrudgingly that this meeting between Serenity and the Dyana Master needed to be private. A wayward student, returning to the fold. She would be confronting the only man capable of teaching her how to use her crystal, the teacher she had ran from a year ago. This meeting would not be easy for her, from what she had told him during their long walk up the mountain. Master Chou was not a man you trifled with. When she had agreed to the training it had been an honourable contract, in which she would offer him her full devotion and effort. When she abandoned it due to her fear, she had broken that scared contract and cast herself into dishonour. He may not feel inclined to offer her his council again, then were would they be. If that was the case, she had much to atone for in his eyes and needed to convince him that this time she was committed to see the training through to the end.

Serenity hovered in the final archway of the largest, most elaborate hall in the Temple. The hall of a thousand Buddha's. Staring, nervously over the rocky plateau just beyond the large, ornately painted veranda. Swallowing hard the lump of dread forming at the back of her throat as her eyes fell upon the weathered, old man sitting at the very edge of the cliff. He was facing the temple, with his back to the rocky vista of the mountains. He was thin, thinner then the last time she had seen him. His yellow robes hung off his slight frame like ancient death shrouds. His head was bald, the deep olive skin pocked with the discoloured spots of old age. Long spindly arms rested upon his knees, his hands folded in the flowing cloths of his yellow and red robes. Slowly he raised his head to greet her, having sensed her hiding in the shadows of the veranda.

His face was kind, heavily winkled with warm brown eyes. That were some what milky around the edges, illustrating how poor his eye sight was becoming. Yet he could still see more clearly and accurately then most. Having dedicated his life to achieving Enlightenment. He was highly attuned to the fabric of the universe. Having mastered the art of Ch'an and his own Chi, he was a formidable warrior and held a timeless wisdom so profound his personal aura was quite intimating. He easily saw through any facade, finding at a glance the true self of any person who came into his company.

"Well, well. " He stated softly in Chinese. " Where have you been, young princess." His tone was amused, but his face held no pleasure. Not even a slight smile cracked his ancient visage, as he regarded her with stern, unwavering eyes.

Serenity cast her head shamefully to the side, "Du Bou Qui." She uttered, taking a long steadying breath. Master Chou held a daunting aura to say the least. His unyielding stare wished for more then well meaning words of apology.

Serenity couldn't face him, so she took several steps forward. Her hands clasped before her, head bowed, eyes cast downward in both respect and humility. Kneeling before the old man in supplication, she awaited his judgement. As a master of all things, himself and his world around him. Master Chou regarded her with infinite patience. The silence that stretched between them was deafening, her heart was pounding in her chest. The anxiousness and fear of rejection, making the small, yet powerful muscle rebound off her rib cage like a frightened animal seeking escape. What would she do it he refused to teach her, if he merely sent her away. Disgusted by her cowardice and unwilling to take another chance on her.

The air shifted above her head, then she felt the warm pressure of his hand upon her hair.

"Your thoughts have become so loud...so violent." He stated in a hushed whisper.

"I've lost myself Master...I don't know who I am anymore? Everything I thought was real has been ripped away from me. " She whimpered back, her shoulder's quaking as an onslaught of tears weeped from he eyes. "I have done despicable things in the name of peace and destroyed the lives of innocent people in the process. I am no Soldier...no champion of peace. I am weak...scared and undisciplined. But I can't allow my mother to lay waste to this world, either. I am shattered and I don't know how to fix the broken pieces of myself and make myself whole again. Please, I need your help to find my true self, so that when I confront her. I can stand and fight with the strength and conviction of my whole being." She pleaded, her words shuttered from her body as she cried quietly. The fear of what she had just pledged of herself, making her body shiver and quake. She did not want to loose who she was now. She was terrified to relive, to acknowledge all the failures of her past lives. She wasn't ready to become Princess Serenity again...yet she had no choice.

He was silent for a long time, contemplating her words, the conviction in her honest pledge to come to grips of who she had been. To uncover all her inner demons, her failures in both character and intention over the last ten thousand years. To understand how all those past lives had accumulated in her soul so that she could become the Saviour of this world.

"We fear the unknown, what we don't understand. This is a natural instinct for self preservation. But I need you to push past the fear, I need you to trust in me this time. I will alleviate both of those misconceptions and you shall not fear your true self any longer." Master Chou lifted his hand and pressed the warm, soothing palm of his hand against her bowed head. His age worn lips slowly curling into a gentle smile.

"Do not run again...embrace the power, freeing your mind will grant you. Become who you were always meant to be." His words echoed with a profound sense of providence. Her true destiny hung in the air between, a promise to be kept. A pledge made long, long ago that would finally be fulfilled.

Serenity rose her head upward to meet his unwavering stare, her mouth open in awe. Heart hammering in her chest, knowing that there was no turning back now. Her course was set, towards death or salvation she did not know. But what ever the outcome she was committed to seeing her destiny threw to the end this time.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: SamSara**

 **Authors note:** Juwairen means outsider in Mandarin.

 _ **Mind**_

 _ **Body**_

 _ **Spirit**_

 _ **Seek first to know your own journey's beginning and end.**_

 _ **Seek then the other journey's of which you are a close part.**_

 _ **But in this seeking know patience.**_

The thick front door to Master Chou's private chambers was as ancient as the temple itself. Constructed from thick spruce. With deeply carved designs of sanskrit script bordering the doorframe. It had at one time been gilded along it's edges with a gold relief, long since tarnished and flaked by time. It bore the blackened stains of enduring a large fire, dented and chipped by invaders who had sought to destroy the temple hundreds of years ago.

The wear on the door spoke of how sturdy and almost indestructible this temple and it's occupants were. The monks who trained and learned within these ancient walls, had endured hundreds of years of persecution and conflict. Never bowing to any warlord or king. They were lords unto themselves, seeking an enlightenment and greater state of being far beyond the comprehension of mortal men.

Master Chou pushed lightly upon the worn door, pushing it open just enough for them to pass through. The hinges groaned and creaked loudly as he led Serenity inside. The Master's small sanctuary within the temple was just as she remembered. It was a cozy room of polished wood, the walls shrouded in tapestries from long ago era's in China's history. The back wall was masoned into a modest stone hearth, a fire blazed quietly within. Casting the room in a warm incandescence, that permeated a sense of peace to which Serenity allowed to sink into her very soul. This room was a place of tranquility, a place to ponder and a vault of wisdom.

She remembered days lost within these humble walls, mediating. Seeking the truth that lay deep within her soul. Learning and practicing the art of melding all aspects of herself into a seamless being, Mind, Body and Spirit. Each piece as unique and separate as a stone, but all an integral part of that same river of consciousness that governed the universe. Trying in vain to cleanse her mind of all desire, so that she might glimpse the very nature of the Tao. To understand the universal truth that was Chi, the governing force of the universe that flowed through all living things. The celestial power of the Imperium Crystal would no longer elude her and she could finally control it's might with out placing herself and others at risk. It was a scary and monumental task to undertake. And in the end she had allowed fear to control her actions and she had ran. This time she promised she would see this through to the end.

Taking a deep breath, she scanned the small room. Coming to terms with the magnitude of her commitment. If she could master herself and learn to channel that power then she would ascend into a goddess once more and be able to control the very universe itself. It was frightening to think that she could become such a powerful being. Even more terrifying to realize that losing her mortal self was a real possibility when she resurrected the Moon Princess of her past.

Her eyes continued to roam the peaceful chamber, as her troubled thoughts plagued her with self doubt. That there was good chance that she might survive this, at least not as she was now. Her worries falling upon Darien how significantly he had changed, no longer just one man but many men all residing in one body. It was more then a little harrowing to understand that could happen to her.

Her eyes found a single, narrow wooden shelf set in the farthest corner of the room by Master Chou's modest bed roll. The shelf held dusty tomes and delicately rolled sanskrit scrolls. As a man of knowledge, he was tireless when it came to deciphering the ancient wisdom of the past. Translating the most difficult scrolls in order to further enlighten of his disciples.

"Sit." He offered her a spot of floor on the other side of his small table. Sitting himself down on the other side fluidly, his body and mind so disciplined he was easily able to ignore the aches in his joints from advanced age.

Serenity paid him a half hearted smile of assent, settling herself in a cross legged position before him on the other side of the table.

He folded his hands upon the wooden table top, weaving his thin, wrinkly fingers together and regarded her once again with a stern unwavering stare. That made her nervous and uncertain, her eyes slowly falling in submission towards the floor. Shifting her bum from side to side, practically squirming under his continued scrutiny.

"Your crystal was taken, by whom or to where I do not know." he sighed. "The Genesis Born laid waste to the Shrine it was being housed in. By his honour, the monk, Kam Chuen, who was in charge of guarding it went in pursuit. I have not heard word of his well being or the crystals recovery." He confessed sombrely.

"He is recovering in a hospital in Tokyo." Serenity answered, "My mother, Queen Selene is in possession of the Imperium Crystal at this moment. That is why I have come to seek your aid."

"Ah..." Master Chou sighed, a knowing smile crossing his age worn lips. "I feel that perhaps if the world was not in such dire trouble, you may not have returned to finish your ascension."

Serenity bowed her head in shame, not denying that if her life was still going well. She had had no intention of ever setting foot back upon these temple grounds ever again.

"Delun is suffering quietly, with his father's death." He added, "I had hoped he might find a more constructive perspective in your company. I can tell my effort to put you two together was in vain. For I can the still feel the heat of the boys anger, in the air of this temple. The utter devastation he feels at his father's hands is unfounded, his hatred towards you is unjust. I had hoped for a better out come before his return." Master Chou pinched his nose, squeezing his eyes shut tight. He empathic sensitivity to the boy, causing him acute pain.

"I am sorry, Master." Serenity grimaced sympatheticly. " I do not know how to help him heal, I am the cause of such anguish for him. He does not want to be around me, it's just to painful right now. I doubt he would accept my aid anyway."

"Perhaps I was being far to optimistic." He paid her a wane smile. "In this case, perhaps time and distance is the best course."

Serenity's eyes grew wet with remorse, the shadow of guilt clouding the once clear blue. Her thoughts plagued with regret. At dragging an innocent man into her immortal war and getting him killed. Master Chou merely absorbed her pain, his warm brown eyes shimmering with shared emotions. His temple had long ago, pledged it's loyalty to her incarnations and the war to come. His fore father's having sworn fidelity to a previous vessel of her's that they would guard the Imperium Crystal and guide any reincarnation to come. A mighty, honorable warrior who had sought sanctuary within their temple walls. Only to be burned alive along with her infant daughter. Leaving nothing of hereself behind beside the Immortal relic...The Silver Imperium Crystal. His masters had sought absolution for failing to protect her. By setting all future incarnations along the proper path to achieve her lost Immortality once more. The current and future struggles to come weighed heavily upon his shoulder's, but the conviction to create a world of peace and prosperity alleviated some of the guilt he bore. Serenity's Goddess hood and the Imperium Crystal were the keys to elevate the human race into a state of untold grace. Achieving that dream was worth all his peoples suffering. For a brief moment they shared a silent bond, understanding with out words the burdens they each carried.

"Shall we begin, then." His voice was soft, but hard. Illustrating that he expected her full commitment from this moment on. "I have taught you the path, to become one with the flowing energy of the universe. You understand the profound unity of the ancient beginning and the duality of it's forces. You will calm your mind, and prepare your soul. Taking in each breath and savouring it as you focus all that you are upon every beat of your heart. In doing so, you will set aside your mortal self and reunite with your true self...the goddess who rests within. "

Serenity gave him a small, curt nod. Biting anxiously at her bottom lip, her heart pounding in her chest.

Master Chou was a patient if gruelling task master, who expected complete trust and full cooperation from his students. Knowing with out further explanation that time was running out, he wished to pick up her teaching were it had left off a year before. She had been reluctant to reclaim her memories then, stubbornly delaying this very moment for far, far to long. No longer able to stall the inevitable, she swallowed hard the lump of fear growing in her throat. Refusing to allow herself to run from her destiny any longer.

"Close your eyes and seek to empty your mind of all your earthly desires. Breath in the Chi that surrounds you and channel it's power through your own body. We must trace back the immortal path of reincarnation to find the root of your divinity." His voice was soothing but commanding, as she slowly bowed her head and closed her eyes. Allowing him to guide her meditation once more into that place between life and death, that held all the answers as to how she had come to be Usagi Tsukino...

"Focus upon your chan discipline, harmonize your mind and body with the Universe and allow that which has given you life again and again to guide you." His voice was low, resounding as if far away. As she fell back onto her teaching of long ago. Darkness crept slowly into her field of vision until it completely engulfed her. Focusing upon the sound of her heart beat, allowing the steady rhythm to draw her away from her reality and back into that tranquil state of vivid memory.

She became aware instantly of a distant glow, it called to her in welcome. Glimmering just beyond her reach. She knew instinctively that it was the Imperium Crystal, that even though she no longer had it in her possession she could still tap into it's power somewhat...So she focused on that gentle light. Allowing it to draw her forward through the dark and into a state of consciousness beyond the mortal plane.

Tiger had allowed the head monk to guide him to the Guest Hall, he had politely taken the offered meal in his spartan quarters and remained in his room as he was instructed. So far he had been the perfect guest, but his good manner's would only last for so long. His room was more like a cell, with a tiny cot in one corner with a simple table and a candle in the other corner, that he might use for light when the sun went down. Leaving the platter of bread and stew untouched upon his low table near the now narrow open window. He surveyed the flagstone yard below with a cats keen perspective. If that self important monk thought he was just going to hole up in this room and wait for permission to walk around the monastery, he was about to have a rude awakening. Tiger did not trust or take orders from anyone anymore. He was his own master now!

"Well, I'm bored. Lets see if there is something more entertaining going on somewhere else." Tiger lept up onto the window sill. Crouching low, with his hands braced on either side of the narrow window frame. The evening shadows were lengthening across the flagstones, obscuring the corners of the yard in deep shade. Night was approaching and with it Tiger's nocturnal instincts. His body was primed to take flight into that approaching darkness. Anxious to prowl the courtyards and memorize every nook and cranny of his new territory. He scanned the yard below in slow methodic sweeps of his keen, catlike eyes. Making sure that the Head Monk hadn't placed any hidden guards to watch his room. Finding the yard empty of any human movement, he dropped from his window to the ground below as silent as a phantom.

Dusk was falling over the temple when Tiger found the students training yard. A modest courtyard of cobble stone walls and a dirt ground. Crouching low upon the clay tiles of the pagoda style roof of a corner tower, he surveyed the small group of boys all in the orange robes of the Shaolin. Lined up in rows of four, they were moving in unison to a complex series of martial arts. But the movements were not aggressive but fluid and very beautiful, as if they were dancing with the universe itself.

"It's called Zhan Zhuang Chi Kung." A familiar voice floated up to him from an archway below.

Tiger grunted in acknowledgment and dropped to the ground.

Finding Delun, leaning against a heavy wooden pillar along the open colonnaded of the courtyards privacy wall. "It's weird." Tiger commented cynically.

Delun merely laughed at the bitter tone in his voice.

"Come with me, none believer." He motioned for Tiger to follow him.

Tiger shrugged and followed the young man, having nothing better to do he felt what ever Delun wanted to show him would kill time. Waiting for Serenity to come back from her meeting with Master Chou was getting rather tedious he needed something to do to pass the time.

Delun lead him to a small secluded practice yard, just off from the monks dormitory. It was a lush atmosphere, the ancient rock walls covered with climbing vines. Highly decorative box gardens rimmed the walls along with old spruce trees. This yard mimicked the mountain itself in many ways.

"Alright, Juwairen. I will teach the basic's of Chi Kung." Delun stated, taking a balanced stance upon the flat moss covered stones of the yard.

Tiger copied his stance, with his arms raised at shoulder height, arms forming a circle, fingertips facing each other as if hugging someone and feet set wide apart with his knees slightly bent.

"We will start with Static Practice, so that I can teach you how to unite your body, breath and mind." Delun began, "This posture is Jam Jong, translated as standing like a Tree. This stance will help develop and channel your internal energy instead of consuming it. I want you to take deep, even breaths."

"I feel ridiculous." Tiger grumbled.

"Deep even breaths." Delun turned and gave Tiger a stern look.

"Fine." Tiger huffed and began to do as instructed.

"When you stand you are like a tree. You are growing from within. Your feet, like roots draw power from the earth. Your body like the trunk is perfectly aligned. You are unmoving, strong. Your head is opened to the heavens like the crown of a tree. You rest calmly, the universe within your mind." Delun instructed, slowly closing his eyes. Tiger did the same, taking one deep breath after another seeking to find that same state of tranquility Delun was achieving.

Hours past as he followed Delun through one pattern of movements to another. Sweaty and exhausted, Tiger had never felt so energized. His mind was at peace, his entire being floating in some limbo state of languid relaxation. This is what he needed...All his anxious worries had ebbed away. Cleansing his mind of all the better resentments and pointless hate that had been fuelling his life thus far. If this was a zen state then he had found it. The gratification of finding peace, at least for a short time was addicting.

He could easily do this again.

"Are you Serenity's companion?" A soft voice infiltrated his awareness.

Tiger slowly opened his eyes, adjusting his stance back into something more casual. Finding a middle aged monk in orange robes standing humbling at the outskirts of the small courtyard.

"Yes." He acknowledged.

"Master Chou needs your services, I am afraid." The man beckoned him forward.

Tiger cast Delun a confused look, finding the boy staring at the departing monk with confusion. A cold lump of anxiety quickly formed in Tiger's gut as he raced after the monk. Something dreadful had happened to Serenity, he just knew it!

She revelled in the immortal silence the surrounded her, the soft demi light the crystal's essence gave off in the distance. Giving the plane between life and death a calm, almost etherial quality. She basked in this limbo state. Knowing from experience that soon enough that blinding light of immortal memory would quickly envelope her. She had barely steadied herself for the onslaught, when the light flooded over her.

All of her previous lives surged through her like a mighty wave. Knocking the breath from her lungs as she struggled to make sense of the memories now assaulting her conscious mind. Her soul was left shaken and traumatized by the onslaught. Tumbling and clawing at the air above her as she was dragged down into eternity itself. Her past lives gave her no time to adjust, no time to recover. Overwhelming her in seconds and leaving her most primal self reeling under their unrelenting attack. Just like the first time she hadn't the mental strength or discipline to stem the mighty flow. She was forced once again to relive in a heart beat every woman that had been connected to the Imperium Crystal. Their memories, their very essence seeded since time eternal within her fragile human soul. All the fleeting images of once vibrant and passionate lives once lived. That had seeped into her vivid dreams through out this life time, became her true and undeniable history. It began with her last incarnation. That tragic girl she had been over twenty years ago, her cruel life and horrific suicide that had claimed more then just her own life. All the way through thousands of years, of karmatic lives all the way back to her most ancient incarnations.

She couldn't breath, her chest was on fire, molten and burning as she struggled to take in air. She couldn't protect herself as she was quickly dragged under the relentless undertow of ten thousands years and drowned by the lives of her reincarnations.

She was dieing...

Again and Again...

One life and then death, and then another lifetime paraded like some sadistic play through her mind. Grinding up who she was like an unrelenting cog and mixing the bits and pieces of her into some unrecognizable sludge of all the lives she had been. Until what was left of her became something...someone completely unrecognizable to her. She could hear someone screaming, as if far away. The voice was desperate and wild with fear, she could vaguely recognize that it was her own voice. Railing against this powerful tide of these past lives, valiantly trying to grasp onto any last shreds of her current reality. Desperate to hold onto any kind of hope, flimsy as it may be for salvation. That some force beyond her understanding would seek pity upon her and not allow her current self to be absorbed and forgotten in this sea of rebirth.

The intensity of the pain and the overwhelming grief she was experiencing was beyond comprehension. It grew and magnified until it became the driving force in her existence. Until all there was, was the nagging pain of failure, the heat of vengeance and an unending sorrow for a love that was always denied.

In the distance beyond her wails of fear and anguish, was the calm, soothing voice of her teacher. Soothing her, seeking to calm her spirit and instruct her now manic psyche to think clearly. Telling her to let go of her earthly desires for her current self...to breathe...to allow the flow of her lives to wash over her, through her...to allow the chi of the universe to cleanse her soul. That she needed to accept her karmic cycle, to make peace with not only herself as she was now, but the dissatisfaction felt by all her past lives. Only then would the ceaseless and excruciating pain she felt ease.

Darien stood under the spray from the shower, the hot water beating against his shoulder blades as he had his arms crossed against the tiled wall, his forehead pressed against his arms. It had been to many days with out word, the stress and worry was driving him crazy. Sere had ripped his whole world away when she left and he didn't know how to rebuild his life with out her. He wasn't sleeping, barely eating...his days had blurred into mindless pacing and brooding. The heat of the shower did little to soothe his raging spirit...he could not find any peace. His thoughts racing around and around that last day he had spent with her. Trying in vain to figure out where he had gone wrong, what he could have done, could have said to make her understand...make her stay.

The fact that she had chosen Tiger as her champion, tore him apart the most. The silence to follow only magnified his failures. He had had a lot of time to think, over the last few days. Realizing all the ways he had screwed up this time. The karmic hurdles he could have avoided, concerning Beryl. The signs he had missed that he should have noticed. He had gotten to caught up in the dharmatic problems he was facing and had forgot all about the real reason he was reincarnating. Because of that oversight, he had lost her again.

He had no time to wallow in his loathing any longer as a sharp jolt of fiery pain, rocketed through out his body. He arched his back and an unholy scream of agony ripped from his throat. His whole being was being ripped apart, as if he was being savaged by a wild animal. His very soul was being torn asunder. The white hot pain would not release him, as it consumed every facet of his mortal shell. Tearing his very soul away from this world as easily as ripping a flimsy piece of paper in half.

 _The world he found himself in was a pale, oddly tranquil reality. The colours of the forest that surrounded him was muted, as if it's vitality was enshrouded in a dull layer of fog. The sky ab ove was a flat slate grey, lacking in kind of depth._

 _It was a landscape of memory, the details b lurred b y time..._

 _It hadn't taken long to realize were and when he was. Endymion had wandered around this secluded glade with Beryl as children. This was their private heaven and where they had made love for the first time. Finding the lazy stream he had spent the summer days swimming and fishing in. This was his secret garden, the paradise he shared only with his b est friend...with Beryl._

 _He was now sitting upon a large stone b efore the clear water, that had b een used to dry his and Beryls underclothes after a rigours day of play in these very waters. As they had gotten older after his return, their play had turned into something far more sexual. He could see his reflection upon the surface of the water, he was once more clad in his dark armour. His cloak was such a dark red, it reminded him of dried b lood. Was fanned b ehind the rock like a crimson waterfall. He had b een b rooding for days over how he had screwed things up with Serenity yet again. Now he was lost in fond memories of his first love...Beryl._ She had been his best friend, his confidant and most trusted companion. He had loved her, they had had a strong, he felt unbreakable bond with one another. But it wasn't a true love, he had no idea how powerful and consuming love truly could be until Serenity fell into his life. He had been such an oblivious fool about love then and caused so much pain and suffering. She had once loved Serenity, as deeply as a sister. But he had torn that bond asunder and pitted them against each other. Unwilling to make a choice, or to cowardly to face Beryls misery if he was to tell her the truth. He had selfishly aquiestered Serenity in his palace. Spending his time in her company alone. Casting his best friend aside as if she had meant nothing. Leaving her alone and abandoned in the forest to fend for herself for months. While he had woed and fulfilled his passionate ambitions with the Moon Princess. Beryls eventual betrayal should have never been such a surprise. He had been a truly dispicable bastard then. Within a years time, her dark armies would lay waste to his palace and burn his kingdom to the ground. The terrible vision of his kingdoms demise that he had been fighting so hard to prevent. Came to pass because of his selfish ambitions and there had never been anyway for him to prevent it. That seething rage of failure, of helplesslessnes had consumed him. He had never taken on any of the blame over the tragedies of that first life.

It was far easier to just blame Beryl and her weakness of character.

 _Over the thousands of years of reincarnation, his soul had b een consumed b y his hatred of her. It was the driving force of his Dharma. In this plane b etween life and death he could finally think clearly and many revelations were laid b are b efore him. He hadn't b een to fair to her in that first life. Upon retrospect, he slowly put the pieces of her suffering into place. His inab ilties to b e honest with her had caused her undo pain and confusion. He had led her on perhaps, gave her a false hope that one day she would b e his queen. But when Serenity had descended to earth, she had changed his whole world...b ecame his whole world and he in his mortal frailty had forgotten his love for Beryl. In many ways, he was the catalyst of all this pain. This cycle of suffering...the curse of his Samsara..._

 _The weight of his guilt and remorse hit him hard and he fell to his knees b efore the stone. He put his tremb ling hands together and b owed his head._

" _I'm sorry...Beryl. I was an arrogant, selfish b astard, so caught up in fulfilling my own desires I lost sight of you and what you once meant to me. It was my fault you were seduced b y the darkness, I literally pushed you towards it. Forgive me...please...please...lift the curse you have placed upon us. I am b egging you. Please I need to know, how do we save this world...how do we save our own souls? " Tears were dripping from his face as he lowered his head further, the whole_

 _of his failures crushing him. His shoulder's shuttering as tremb ling b reaths of anguish issued from his lips. Through his watery gaze he glimpsed flickers of light, dancing upon the grass b efore his knees._

 _He felt a pressence hover over him and he snapped his head up. A glowing spirit towered over him. When he recognized the woman swathed in the flowing rob es of pure light he went rigid._

 _Then he felt the warmth of her tender smile, a calming expression he knew well. The sight it soothed him, it offered forgiveness...perhaps ab solution for the terrib le sins he had committed unwittingly in that first life._

 _Slowly, he rose to his feet._

" _Is...it really you?" he b reathed, unab le to process the surreality of what was happening._

" _Yes, Darien." Beryl sighed, her smile falling just a b it. Her warm emerald eyes so long filled with hate, were at peace._

" _Darien..." He repeated in confusion. Never expecting the soul of Beryl to ever call him b y his current incarnations name._

" _Endymion is dead...I know this now. His soul still lives in you b ut he isn't truly alive anymore. No one from that ancient_ _time is alive anymore." she cast her face down in shame. Acknowledging humb ly that the destruction of b oth Elysian and the Silver Millennium was her fault._

" _Beryl..." Darien b egan tentatively raising a hand, reaching for her. Seeking her forgiveness with this silent gesture of_ _truce._

 _Beryl nodded solemnly and took his hand, joy and peace swelled inside of him and he couldn't help the b eaming smile he offered her._

"It's alright, my prince. We were both very stubborn and willful, unable to give even an inch towards reconciliation. I realize now that you never stopped loving me. Our love never delved more deeply then sweet friendship. We just lost our way for while, thinking that perhaps it could become more. I longed for the same passionate love you shared with Serenity. I wished for more, I craved your attention and was never happy with what you were willing to give. In the end my selfish, jealous actions twisted your love for me into hate. For that I am truly sorry." She confessed, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Beryl...I was a fool. " He muttered, giving her hand a fond squeeze.

" _Sere needs you, she has entered the plane b etween life and death and has b ecome ensnared in her own Dharma."_ _Beryl pulled on his hand, leading him through the over grown trees. "It is literally ripping her apart!" She cried in fear, rushing them over loose stones and uneven trails at a startling speed._

 _At the pure terror he heard in Beryl's voice, his heart froze, his b lood running cold in his veins. He couldn't loose her, after all this time. He couldn't loose her!_

 _In all the times they had gone running headlong through the greenwood that surrounded the Golden Palace, he was always in the lead. Head strong and b old, he commanded her ab out. Lord and vassal, that divide in power had always b een very apparent even as children. But Beryl was always pleased to b e pulled and led ab out, grateful for b eing in his company. This time he was the grateful one...for she was leading him to his true love._

 _She rushed them up a narrow trail of loose soil and small b oulders to the cusp of a grassy b luff, that overlooked the their private glade b elow._

 _He was unprepared for the horror that greeted him amid that once empty glade. A vicious looking vine had grown up from the very center. Rising into the colourless sky, with Sere's naked b ody wrapped tight in its grasp. The tendrils of the vine_

 _twisted and knotted b etween her legs, writhed over her slender waist like a deadly serpent._

 _Curling around her b reasts and coiling down her arms, wrapping around her slender wrists. Forming a vicious natural cross that was holding her arms firmly over her head, her supple b ody b ound in a seductively insidious position. Sharp, jagged thorns that resemb led claws dug into her flesh like knives. Piercing her skin and drawing blood, as they sank themselves deep. The hot, crimson liquid flowed like thick rivers over her b ody. Dripping like rain from her pointed toes to splash the roots of the_

 _vine. The vine was slowly tightening around her, sawing into her skin and tearing her apart. Her face was cast upwards towards the b lank heavens, her mouth open in a silent death scream. As the vine coiled around her slender neck, squeezing the air from her lungs. She was dieing a truly vicious death right b efore his eyes._

" _Sere!" Darien screamed, the sight of her b eing torn to shreds fuelling a manic desire to run head long into vines,_ _headless of his own life. Needing to free her, save her from her own destruction._

 _Beryl lunged out and grab b ed his arm, just as he prepared to b olt down the hill._

" _Stop, you fool how are you going to save her! Think b efore you act! You haven't changed a b it in ten thousand years._ _When things get real b ad, you run off half cocked with out a real plan, your just as b ad as she is..." Beryl growled and shook her head. "Think it through...what is creating the vines? What do you need to do to kill it and save her?"_

 _Darien turned b ack to face, Beryl's firm gaze. The fire in his b lood to kill the vine with his b are hands smouldering into emb ers._

" _Its her Dharma...its holding her b ack from ascending. What mortal vice is tearing her to shreds?" Beryls started, her_ _head now down cast deep in thought. "Jealousy?"...she muttered then laughed, raising her head to find Darien smirking at her. "Yeah, well I guess that's was my Dharma...huh."_

 _Darien merely nodded, his own thoughts spinning through one scenario after another trying to figure what was the driving force that inhab ited every incarnation of Princess Serenity. The epiphany was slow b ut it struck like a b olt of lightening. "Regret...!" Darien shouted, snapping his head up to Beryl in sudden surprise._

" _Yes...that makes complete sense." Beryl muttered, tears forming in her eyes. "She would regret how thing ended for all_ _eternity. Such a sweet, optimist. She would have never b een ab le to overcome how b rutal and horrific our first deaths were. What happened to her mother...Queen Selene b ecause of her choices, then..."_

 _Darien never stayed to hear the rest of Beryls words, charging head long down the hill. He understood from his time here in the world b etween. When Serenity had saved his soul b ack at the arena. That this place was governed b y the spirit and through that the mind. He knew what he needed to do to save her. This time he was prepared to do what he should have done in that first life. He envisioned the Sacred Sword of Sealing...the sword he had b een wielding that faithful day so long ago. When he had charged through the moon palace to save his b eloved and end the life of his b est friend._

 _It was a terrib le memory, full of great sadness and b lood shed. Darien found it rather difficult to reflect upon, the tragedies of that day had haunted him for ten thousand years._

" _We will never let it happen again!" He shouted to the dead sky, as a piercing glow igniting in his right hand. A gleaming_ _silver sword came to life in his grasp, runes were etched along the heavy b lade with eight shimmering jewels emb edded upon the hilt. Each one glowed with the eternal power of eight planetary deities. This was the mightiest weapon ever forged b y human hands, it was not his b irthright to wield b ut had fallen into his grasp b y chance. He may not b e survive, wielding this b lade. It's immortal power may very well ob literate his very soul. But he couldn't dwell on that now, he had to save her! He had to make things right and find ab solution for all the wrongs he had committed against her...against Beryl...he had to make it right._

 _He screamed a b attle cry and raised the sword as he cleared the last of the distance. Thrusting the b lade through the rigid trunk of the vine. Black b lood gurgled and oozed from the wound, as he twisted the b lade as if cleaving a heart. A heinous scream rent the air, at first he thought it was Sere's. Snapping his terrified eyes upward, at the high pitched wail. Finding the vines now curling away from her prone, b loodied b ody. Shivering and writhing in agony, they recoiled down towards him. Shrivelling and crumb ling away as if in a rapid state of decay. Sere remained hovering in the air, a warm silver light glowing around her b ody. In seconds all her wounds healed, leaving her nude b ody as flawless and smooth as it ever was. Her head had lolled to the side and Darien could see that her expression was peaceful as if she was merely asleep._

" _Sere..." He muttered, then his gaze fell downward as the last of the vine turned b lack and b rittle, disappearing in a puff of_ _dried soot. A dark silhouette could seen in the last few seconds of its death. It had a timeless, ominous aura that made Darien take a step b ack in self preservation._

" _What the hell..." He muttered._

 _Then a flash of light illuminated the sky, Darien shot his gaze b ack up finding Sere's b ody fading away into that b rilliant white light._

" _Good luck." Darien smiled softly, as his soul was once more pulled b ack into the living world._

The shrill ringing of the phone jolted Darien awake. He sat up in an instant, disorientated and fiercely light headed. He listed to the side, only to find two strong hands holding him up by the shoulder's. Slowly turning his head, his blurry vision finally coming into focus. He took vague note of the deathly concerned face of Hollywood, staring deeply into his eyes. Needing to confirm for himself that his friend was awake and alright.

"Wha...happened..." Darien slurred out in a groggy voice. His voice sounded oddly nasal as if his sinuses were stuffed up.

"I found you slumped on the shower floor, with a massive nose bleed!" Raye protested, her voice sounded high pitched.

He must have given her a good scare to incite that half pissed, half worried tone.

"Sorry..." Darien muttered, pulling out the wads of tissue paper currently lodge up both of his nostrils.

"If your nose didn't stop bleeding soon, I was going to take you to the hospital to get your nasal cavities cauterized." Amy's stern voice called out. Darien turned from staring at Raye who was leaning casually against his large living room window to Amy currently refurbishing Ido's computer on his island. Her glasses perched on the tip of her nose, as she lightly plugged one of the circuit boards back into the hard drive.

"What happened..." Hollywood got his attention, pulling his focus away from Amy.

"Its a long story." Darien moaned, feeling a headache coming on.

"The phones for you, its Tiger." Lita invaded their moment, thrusting the phone in front of his face.

He snatched the receiver from her and pressed it against his ear. His heart was pounding, the anxiety of happened to her, not knowing if she was alright was burning like acid through out his gut.

"Hello..." he stated, swallowing hard. Needing to know what happened, how she was doing and if she was going to be alright.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **Darien**

My stomach was churning, when I acknowledged that fateful phone call. I was gripping the receiver so tightly I thought the fragile plastic might crack. I couldn't stand still, my heart was pounding and a cold sweat covered my body. Swallowing back my panic, I began pacing back and forth behind the couch. Refusing to meet anyones eyes, knowing they were full of pain and concern. Focusing my gaze downwards towards the wooden floor, remaining focused upon every word Tiger uttered.

"It's about time!" I snapped into the phone.

"Back off, man! She was upset." Tiger growled back, then sighed sadly. "Look, things have been rather tense and she has been a complete mess. Honestly, she was broken. Serenity has always been a little broken. " He amended, sadly. "But this time she was completely shattered. I needed to focus solely on her. So reporting back to you was the furthest thing from my mind, alright. So stop with the pissy attitude and be thankful I am giving you a heads up. Because things have just gone all to shit."

"Where are you!" My pacing had turned into a determined charge to get where ever Sere was. Bolting down the hall to my bedroom to pack my bags. My mind was spinning with the details of what I needed to do to get her side as quickly as possible. Sere and broken in the same sentence made me incredibly anxious. I needed to get to her.

"China...in some monastery on one of the god forsaken peeks of Mount Song." Tiger stated. "Serenity wanted to finish her training with the Dyana Master here."

"Ok...I am on my way to get her. " I muttered, shoving some underwear and jeans into a large black hiking backpack. I knew were she was...kinda. It was a start.

"You are coming to get her..." Tiger responded in bewilderment. His voice was also soft and pensive. As if reluctant to admit something very important.

"Yes! I protect whats mine and Serenity is mine! " I shouted possessively into the phone, my rage and jealousy over Tiger exploding from me unintentionally. I was adamant about running after her, desperate to make things right, to make her understand and salvage our love. I have been fighting for it relentlessly for over ten thousand years! I wasn't to going to give up in this lifetime either.

"Well, I'm not so sure that's possible." Tiger admitted slowly, sounding guilty and remorseful.

"What the hell are you talking about!" I snarled into the phone, my bag was packed and I was prepared to sling it over my

shoulder. I would move heaven and earth to get her side. When I suddenly noticed to my abashment my state of

undress. I was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. With a grunt of displeasure, I dashed, non pulsed to my dresser and

threw open a few drawers. Tossing a black t-shirt and jeans onto the unmade bed.

Tiger took a deep breath and released it heavily into the phone. "You can't come barreling up to the monastery right now.

Like a crazed lover, so chill the fuck out!" Tiger reprimanded.

"You can't control me!" I shot back, my voice laced with threat.

"Your intrusion right now will hurt her, you dumb ass. I need you to stay put. Serenity is in a bad a way. Her body has gone into some kind of near death state called Thunkdam, from her meditated to deeply. This Shaolin Master trying to bring her back to us, does not need any more distractions. " Tiger started, but I cut him off sharply.

"What the hell is going on!" I shouted into the phone, my heart now slamming like a jackhammer against my rib cage. So filled with fear and anger over being so helpless and disconnected from her, the incredible pressure of it was seeking to explode from my body. I wanted to punch my fist through my bedroom wall just to release some the tension.

"She's fallen into a coma...the old man says its because her soul is not whole. That their is a fragment missing. Something about her human spirit being to fragile to ascend into her goddess persona. " Tiger began to explain. But my mind was already reeling with dread, as a sudden epiphany struck me like a bolt of lightening.

"Rini..." I breathed, when her soul had cried out in fear. My own soul had reacted, as if she was Serenity. Some how...that young girl owned the final piece of Princess Serenity's soul. Just like Daiki had fallen into a coma unable to fully ascend, because I had held the final piece of Endymion's soul.

"She's fighting for her life now, her Genesis is trying to devour her." Tiger's voice was low and raspy as if fighting back tears. "I am at her side, Darien. I will not leave her until she finds her way back to us. I promise. I will call every night to keep you posted. Alright. So just stay put and trust in me. I will bring her back to you." Tiger vowed, hanging up abruptly.

Leaving me staring in bewildered fear at the dead receiver. A cold panic, gripping my heart and stealing my breath. All blood rushed from my face, leaving me pale and shaking. I suddenly felt light headed and unable to cope, falling to my knees as a full on panic attack washed over me.

"You can't leave me...Serenity...not again...not again..." I whispered, bowing my head and pounding my fists against the floor in agony.

 **Sere**

I remember in my high school psychology class we learned about the five stages of grief a person passes through after the death of a loved one: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then finally acceptance. I was able to reflect now upon my life... or lives. I guess. I had lived so many and in many ways my own reincarnations had been dealing with the grief...of my first life.

 **Serenity Moon**

 **1995 to present**

 **(Acceptance)**

My lives felt very much like a dream, a parade of fruitless endeavours that resulted in nothing but death. I found only suffering and regret in each life. A desperation for happiness always denied. But certain moments stood out, like flashing beacons amid the despair. They were moments of truth, of clarity that explained my twisted existence. Molding my soul in so many small ways, defining who I was today. As of now, I was a broken soul, a chaotic puzzle of rebirth. As I sifted through my past lives I began putting the pieces together, to understand my greater purpose.

Three hours had past, since I started going through the paperwork for the club. Ido had indulged me in this endeavour. This fragment of normalcy I craved so desperately. I wanted a career, a place in the world to call my own. So he helped me by becoming one of my many silent partners in this club. I had been open for almost a year now and business was brisk. I was no longer tied to a hectic concert schedule that spanned the whole of Japan and several other continents. My concerts were now stationary events at this club only. I had been scared at first that my popularity would wain if I stopped touring. But my fans proved loyal and very eager to pay the ticket prices for my elaborate performances. I loved being a club owner, being on stage and capturing the hearts of my fans and impressing new ones. Taking my patrons away from their daily lives and on beautiful musical journey's that defied reality. But the long hours going over the inventory logs and monthly budgets was just gruelling. I hated it, but as a responsible adult. I buckled down each month and got the paper work filed.

My head ached and my eyes felt red and irritated from straining. I had been hunched over my desk in the club office for what seemed like forever. It was a tiny little cubbie hole set just off from the main entrance, just past the restrooms. It was just large enough to hold a large metal desk and black mesh office chair. It had no windows and little to no air circulation so it the air was stale and smelled slightly sour from my sweat. The walls were bare, not wanting any distractions when I went into this cell. I needed to focus on my work or I would never get it all done. I had a computer set in the corner of the desk, a keyboard set before the monitor. Tonight I had been entering data from the written books onto the digital logs. My fingers were cramping up and I was starting to get rather grumpy.

When a knock sounded on my office door, followed by a "Yoo-hoo, boss-lady, its me. I got pistachio ice cream and two spoons."

Smiling, I tucked the books away in the filing cabinet set beside the desk and went to let Akihiko in.

He was smiling a little to brightly when I opened the door. Holding up two metal spoons, he practically sashayed into the small room. Only Akihiko could pull of that kind of a corny move and still look good. He was a club kid, had been since he

turned sixteen and could sneak in with fake id's. Born and raised in Osaka. Akihiko was obsessively trendy. Wearing all the latest fashions and a polished look that made him stand out even in the outlandish crowds of the club scene. He had his short spikey hair bleached white with the tips a dark midnight black. Wearing a heavy leather biker's jacket, full of patches from underground bands and skateboard icons. A worn white t-shirt with the face of a roaring panther ironed on the front. With baggy cargo jeans, that hung dangerously off his narrow hips. With far to many chains and buckles then was necessary. His feet were adorned in a worn out pair of black leather, steel toe boots.

He was my eyes and ears at the rival clubs, a loyal fan who always kept me up to date as to what was drawing the crowds. So that I could adjust my own shows accordingly to keep my beats hot and my club packed. He was also gay, a terrible flirt and a gossip whore. But I loved him, over the last year he had become one of my dearest friends.

I closed the door and returned to my desk, waiting as he settled himself down on the leather stool set at the corner of the desk.

"I'll admit it now, this isn't a business call." He started with a charming smile. His slightly slanted eyes becoming slits, nearly disappearing as his rounded cheeks rose upward with his bright grin. His dark, warm brown eyes sparkling with joy and amusement. "This is a bribe. I want to know all about your latest date with Daiki Shinoda. Every last, delicious detail because, girlfriend that boy is hot!"

I laughed and shook my head. There was no way I could talk to him about Daiki. We were not an item, we were just partners. I was on assignment for Ido, to work with Daiki to uncover what Tomoe's latest threat was in Osaka. That was all. The fact that Akihiko had caught us leaving a cafe in the gentrified neighbourhood of Namba a couple weeks back, as if we were on a date was just coincidence.

"Indulge me, please. That man stars in several of my wet fantasies." he begged, giving me a sad, adorable pout that had me laughing again.

Akihiko winked and slid a spoon my way.

"Spill it, woman!" He commanded, popping the top off the ice cream tub.

"I am afraid you are looking for juicy info that does not exist. Daiki is a nice guy but nothing is going on between us. He is merely a business partner and that lunch was just a boring funding meeting for my next DJ project. " I gave him an indulgent smile, taking my first spoon full of ice cream.

Akihiko cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Not even a little kiss?"

"Uh, no" I sputtered, desperate to conceal the sudden blush heating my cheeks. I averted my face to the computer screen as if checking my work. In truth I had already experienced a very steamy first kiss with Daiki a few weeks back during a warehouse steak out. I could still feel his lips, pressing possessively against mine and the yearning tingle for more that vibrated against my mouth when he had abruptly pulled away.

Akihiko dug into the ice cream, with a confused frown. "That makes no sense. The man is straight, I'd know if he wasn't. Also, any straight man would be on you like white on rice." He paused, looking at me sceptically. "Your got it all, packed nice and neat in one petite little sexy package." He sighed, cutting the tip of his spoon into the ice cream while he thought it through. "Damn, that's it. He isn't single. I didn't think about that, crap. I was hoping you were about to get some action with a piece of Grade A meat." He sounded disappointed, not for himself but for me.

I cringed and laughed at the same time. But in my stomach I felt sick, my ego a bit deflated at the prospect that Daiki may have a girlfriend back in Tokyo. He was known as a serious high class playboy around Japan. Perhaps he was grooming me as his girl on the side. A convenient fuck, while on assignment here in Osaka. I was starting to get depressed.

"I figured you haven't dated anyone since I've known you, because your picky and no one achieves your lofty expectations. I mean you are a frick'in D.J Idol! You would require your man to be rich and as hot and successful as you are." He started, spouting off again. "Pickings around Osaka are slim to none. The hotties are getting ticked off the list rapidly." Akihiko took a big bite of ice cream like he was the one depressed.

I on the other hand had lost my appetite.

"I was so sure, too. When I saw you guys shopping in Namba, that something of the doki doki nature was brewing between you. You two were walking way to close to each other to be just friends and Daiki kept checking you out when ever you weren't looking. Giving you that hungry look, all men get when they are extremely attracted to someone." Akihiko waved his spoon at me dubiously. "I would have bet my left nut he was hot after your ass and wanted a taste."

At that point, I decided to take a small bite of ice cream to curb the turmoil now churning inside me.

"There you go, eat the creamy goodness and lets talk about something else." he offered, taking another huge bite.

"Is your sister coming to pick you up or do you have to take the train?" I was eager to change to subject and took the opening in the conversation to steer it his way. Akemi was his paternal twin and the exact opposite of Akihiko. She was down to earth, logical and incredibly driven. She had just graduated from Tokyo University with a bachelors in business administration. I wagered in ten years she would be a CEO of a major company here in Japan.

"Yeah, Akemi just started a new job as a help desk operator for Shinoda Industries." he mouthed around a large chunk of ice cream. "Good pay, bad hours." He mumbled, "So maybe. She'll text if she can swing by and pick me up." He shrugged, taking another huge bite. "Other wise its the crazy commuter express for me. At least it's entertaining..." he grimaced. "All kinds of alien life forms take the train at this ungodly hour, including me." he laughed boisterously.

We must have talked for several hours, until a sharp ding on his phone alerted him of a incoming text.

He never said a word, but all the color drained from his face in an instant. He jumped to his feet and raced out of my office at top speed.

I stood and started to follow him out, but I couldn't keep up. Akihiko was prone to a great deal of drama and this might not be anything to serious. So I stood in my doorway, worried but refusing to go after him. If he really needed me he would call, until then. I would wait and hope that it was just another lover's spat. Akihiko had many lover's, he didn't do relationships and that only complicated his life.

It was way past midnight when, I had gone home to my two story condo that was attached to the north side of the club. I knew I would be putting in some long hours being a club owner and I didn't want to have to travel very far to crawl into my warm bed. So I had drawn up an attached apartment when I had designed 'The Silver Millennium.' My cell phone started to play the latest Chill-step rhythm I had been obsessed over for the last few weeks. Light headed and half coherent I fumbled on my nightstand trying to grab it. Once my finger's curled around the hard plastic, I pressed the screen against my ear. Squinting my heavy eyes open just a crack to groan as if in pain, when I noticed the time on my digital clock. I had barely been asleep for forty-five minutes it was already into the wee hours of the morning.

"Serenity..." Akihiko's voice muttered out to me, low and hoarse as if he had been crying very hard recently.

"Akihiko...what's going on?" I asked, quickly coming to my senses, as I shot up in bed. I had been very worried about him since his abrupt departure earlier. Now I was going to be able to access the crisis he was in and help if needed. I always hated the waiting when things got difficult for my friends, I wanted to take action and solve all their problems.

"There was a fire at the office, Akemi worked at..." He could barely speak, his words sounding hallow and breathless. "She's gone into surgery...the doctor doesn't know if she's going to make it...I can't be alone right now. Please come." he pleaded, his voice shuddering into gasps as he desperately sought to hold in his sobs.

"I'm on my way...which hospital?" I was out of bed and racing for my clothes. That were currently in a heap near my antique oak dresser. My tastes in furnishings were kinda eclectic, I liked old things, frilly girly styles and lots of pastel colors. So my spaces usually resembled a Martha Stewart catalogue, crossed with major kawaii accents.

I typically wore dark dress pants and a simple blouse when working in the office, wanting to look professional just incase one of my silent partners or distributor's showed up. Personally I would rather be in a pair of comfy pants and a t-shirt when forced to sit in front of a computer screen for hours on end. With a sigh, I threw on my stuffy business attire and tucked my phone, keys and wallet into my pants pockets before leaving the house.

I found Akihiko standing before the double doors to the operating room down in the intensive care ward of Osaka General. He was as still as a stone and very pale. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy from crying, there was no light in his eyes, they seemed to stare vacantly as if lifeless. His expression was dull, his mouth drawn into a pensive frown. He looked as if his soul had been ripped out of him, leaving behind nothing by a husk of the person he once was.

I approached him cautiously, not wanting to startle him.

"Akihiko?" I placed my hand on his shoulder, gently alerting him to my pressence.

He stared at the small windows of the doors. "I have to wait here...that is what they said...the doctors." His voice was weak and droned in a monotone of shock and bewilderment. "That was all they said...they didn't tell me if she would ever open her eyes again, or smile, or laugh...or..." His voice trailed off into nothing. "I only know that my heart and my soul are back there, with her and I may never get them back." He stated more strongly, swallowing hard as silent tears crept down his face.

"Lets go sit down." I offered.

"No!" He shouted, his whole body went rigid as if he was planting his feet into the floor. "They told me to wait here...If I move they may not find me. I am to scared to leave this spot. I have to focus on this door, so that she comes back to me."

"Have you heard anything?" I asked, he merely shook his head.

"She's in surgery that's all they have told me." he admitted, never taking his eyes off the door. His wet eyes so focused upon those blank doors, it was as if he was seeking to penetrate them with his sight alone. "I'm not there...to hold her hand. I can't even tell her that she is going to be ok. She's alone and she needs me..." He shuddered, clenching his teeth and hissing to keep his fragile calm.

I could see how completely devastated he was, nothing made sense to him anymore. She was his twin, she had been beside him his whole life, she was his best friend. They had grown up together and then moved out on their own, into the same apartment... together. They shared every aspect of their lives and losing her, having to face the future alone. Was the most terrifying prospect to him.

I wanted to hold him, reassure him...give him hope. But that would only burden him further and hurt him more if things didn't work out how he wished. He could only handle cold hard truth right now, I had to maintain a respectful distance. Take charge and care for him, until we knew the outcome. Then I would be what ever he needed, his friend, his confidant or emotional punching bag.

"Alright,then I am going to go see if I can get an update from the nurse." I squeezed his shoulder offering him my support, he barely nodded before I headed down the hall to the nurses station.

I didn't know if it was going be ok, if Akemi was going to make it. I had heard reports over the radio while I drove here. Stating that a bomb had gone off in the lobby of the Shinoda Industries building, trapping all the employee's working the night shift on the upper floors. The fire had spread quickly, devouring the floors beneath until the first five floors collapsed. Akemi and her co-workers would have fallen several floors and been trapped under tons of debris. The emergency teams were still digging through the rubble trying to locate survivors... or bodies.

So many questions were haunting me, who planted the bomb? Was it Tomoe? If it was, then all roads led back to Ido and this mission I was currently on with Daiki. Making this event sorta my fault. I was sick of their war and all the innocent causalities that seemed to be piling up over the years. Ido still proclaimed the moral high ground every time we argued over how he was handling Tomoe's indiscriminate attacks. Selfishly, I hoped it was one of Daiki's grandfather's many mafia enemies. They would be much easier to seek retribution from then Tomoe. That horrible old man had more people out to kill and destroy him financially then I could count.

Because I couldn't handle feeling any more regret. All the blood shed that had surrounded me, since my Genesis State had manifested was hard to deal with. The knowledge that I could never do anything to protect the people I held dear from the evils of this world. Or even right the wrongs done to them and their families by those who held power or affluence over them. The futility of it all was more than I could bear at times. I had fantasied many times over the years of having enough power to recreate this world. To purge the darkness that lurked inside every human heart and bring the earth into a future of peace and property. I would give up everything, even my own life. If I could wield that power and create that perfect reality.

The nurse at the desk proved to be less then useful, so I returned to Akihiko's side with no further information. He never spoke and I merely slipped my hand into his, holding it tight. Knowing that this simple gesture helped. It offered support, it might even make him feel stronger. More capable of handling what ever outcome walked out of the that door when the Doctor returned. My pressence was helping to hold him together, so that he would not shatter into a million pieces while waiting for his sister to return.

I had no idea how many hours had passed, but time didn't seem to start up again until those doors swung open. The doctor was a middle aged, balding man with a pudgy waste line. He wasn't over weight but his nutrition was definitely neglected. I guess with the long hours he put in here at the hospital, eating properly wasn't a priority. His attire was professional and spoke of prestige. With a crisp white button down shirt, tucked into a pair of grey dress pants. A black leather belt barely held the pants up, as the weight of his stomach pressed threateningly upon it. A long white lab coat billowed behind him as he strode with purpose out of the double doors. Scanning the area, his tired eyes fell on Akihiko. There was a professional calm about him but the sorrow mirrored in the depths of his brown eyes was screaming at me.

Panic gripped my heart and I squeezed Akihiko's hand more tightly.

He had stopped breathing, as the doctor approached.

"Are you Akemi Tachibana's immediate family?" He asked.

All Akihiko could do was nod mutely, so I stepped up to speak for him.

"Yes, this is her brother." I offered.

The doctor nodded and then guided us over into a small waiting room down the hall. It was pristine, uncluttered and overly clean. With white walls and three plush black leather chairs, a small matching couch sat under the one window with a fake wood coffee table set before it.

I recognized that type of room instantly, it was a mourning room. This was a place doctors took family members to deliver bad news in private. My throat constricted instantly as Akihiko sat heavily upon a chair. He was astute enough to know what this room was used for as well. I quickly sat in the chair beside him, sensing the overwhelming weight of grief now resting upon his hunched frame. While the doctor sat in the chair before us.

"I need to know..." Akihiko chocked out, squeezing his eyes shut as if he was about to receive a physical blow.

"We lost her...the internal damage was to severe." The doctor stated crisply, his voice a level, professional monotone.

Akihiko gasped, his free hand shooting up to grip his mouth. Pinching his lips with his fingers fiercely, holding back his screams of misery. While his other hand gripped mine so hard I felt the small bones in my fingers grinding together.

I clenched my teeth and endured the pain, my dear friends world had just collapsed around him. I could easily endure this discomfort on his behalf. All the air seemed to be sucked out of the room, leaving us all in a grim silence for several minutes.

The doctor politely placed a clip board he had been carrying down on a small table that was set before us.

"Miss Tachibana was an organ donor, I will need your signature as her immediate family to consent to the harvesting of her body. I will return in a few minutes to retrieve the paper work. I am truly sorry for your loss, but take heart. That her death, offers new life to many children and adults who desperately need healthy organs." He then stood and offered his condolences one last time before leaving the room.

As soon the door closed, Akihiko broke down into heart wrenching sobs. His grief tore at my heart, as I curled him protectively into my chest. As he wailed and cried like a child in my arms. I could do nothing to comfort him, he had lost a piece of his soul tonight. All I could do was hold him close and wish that I had the power to fix this cruel, uncaring world. In just a short time I would be given the opportunity to grasp that power...in the form of my crystal. It would take me at least a year longer to accept the true price of wielding that power.

 **Serena Tsukino**

 **2008-2011**

 **(Depression)**

I had been given a second chance at life. After everything I had ever know had been ripped away from me in the matter of one very tragic afternoon. Me and my family were taken into the custody of a secret organization called 'The Agency'. They had promised to protect us, to relocate my father, brother and I to the States under new names and a new identities. I had been forced to leave behind all my memories of Japan, all of which included my mom. Smuggled into South Korea, we had lived in seclusion on a U.S Naval Base for the next few months. It had taken this agency six months to get us legally into the United States. It was long enough for my nine year old brother, who would be known as Sammy from now on. To heal enough not to cry when we talked about our mother. My father though, he's was still an absolute mess. He blames himself for what happened to our mom and for ruining our lives. He has crawled so deep into a bottle, I can't even reach him anymore. We don't talk about mom, we don't really talk anymore period. I take care of 'Sammy' and myself and I'm barely thirteen. Forced to accept the aftermath of my father's choices and what comes next. Now we were on some over packed commercial jet, flying over the Pacific Ocean headed to that new life. The only thing I had left of my old one, was packed in an army backpack. That I held in my lap, my arm wrapped around it and pressing it up against my chest like a shield. I couldn't deal with what was happening. So I had my headphones on, listening to a very angry, angst filled play list I used with I needed to purge myself of negative, violent emotions. Thankfully I got the window seat, so I had my temple pressed up against the cold glass. Blindly watching the white layer of clouds speeding by beneath the planes huge wing. My thoughts churning in a vicious round of impotent rage, unable to do anything about my situation or what was to become of me now.

I hated this!

I hated how screwed up my life had gotten, how Shingo had become my responsibility. How broken my father had become and above all else. I hated having to go hide in America! When all I wanted to do was go back to Japan and kill those bastards who murdered my mother!

When we landed at the International Airport in Washington. Two american agents met us at the gate and shuffled us off immediately to a large U-haul parked in the loading zone outside the massive glass doors of the main terminal. My father spoke with them for only a few minutes, getting maps and a folder that contained all our information to start a new life. I stood glaring daggers at all three men, glancing from time to time at 'Sammy'. Who was currently entertaining himself by walking backwards in small circles around me. He hadn't strayed to far from my side since mom's death. He used to be such a bold, fun loving kid. Into all kinds of sports and made friends easily. Now he's introverted and sorta strange.

Being cooped up on a military base with nothing to do and no other kids to talk to. And the fact that there was such a large age gap between us, I guess he had to come up with ways to have fun. Today was backwards day.

In which he spends most of the time walking everywhere backwards, talking backwards and even requesting to eat his meals in the opposite order. I had indulged him before, cooking him breakfast for supper and vice versa. My father didn't care, he was always either so depressed he could even get out of bed for the day or so drunk he was just unconscious. Either way he had checked out as a parent long ago and I had sorta given up on him. It was surprising that he was keeping it together now?

"Boring is this, truck the in get lets, Serena." He says, with a smug smile. Weaving through the small group of passing tourists towards the curb.

I sighed and follow him, mounting the step and crawling into the cab after him. Kenji...I mean our father Ken climbed up into the driver seat a few minutes later.

I lean forward giving him a cursory once over, trying to determine how many beers if any he had drank already today. We really didn't need to get into an accident or draw attention to ourselves by having the local sheriffs pull us over for erratic driving.

My father passed me a stern look, confirming that he was coherent enough to drive us to our new home. Over the next few days, he managed to keep himself together. I never saw him drink more then a couple beers in the mornings over breakfast. Then a few more with our supper when got motel room for the night. It was just enough alcohol to keep the edge off, but not enough to completely intoxicate him.

We completed the last nine-hour stretch through out the night in complete silence. My father had given up on conversation with me two days back. Since I had been brooding, since the plane landed. I wasn't very talkative and he wasn't the same strong, confident man I had known back in Tokyo. When awake, Sammy would engage us both in travel games or U.S trivia. Giving us a false sense of family bonding, now that he was asleep, curled up on the bench with his head on my lap. The true nature of our broken family echoed in that heavy silence.

I had my headphones on, once again lost to watching the dark flat prairie fly past the trucks window. While dad struggled to stay awake and complete the last leg our journey.

As we closed in on the small north western city that was to be our new home. The morning sun was just cresting over the yellow fields on the horizon. The flat endless sky warmed in a flawless aura of bright reds and oranges. The beauty of such a large sky was not lost on me, but still my ability to fully appreciate it was still stained by the circumstances that had led me here. As the world flared back into full color, the murky demi-light of pre-dawn banished yet again as a new day took hold. I slowly, began to take in my surroundings. The fact that is was September and the heater in the truck was on. I new that fall in America was a lot colder then it was in Japan. I didn't like the cold and I was not looking forward to winter.

As he made a final turn onto our street, I thinned my lips in disgust. It was a small cul-de-sac lined with about ten single story brick houses on either side. It was a low income neighbourhood, mostly rental units. I figured renting a house was the easiest way for the 'agency to hide our identities'.

There was a basketball hoop in one of the driveways up the street, it gave me hope that Sammy would have someone to play with. The area was run down though, the lawns poorly kept and cluttered with bits of garbage and trashed furniture. More startling was the couple of rusted out cars parked on the lawns of a few houses near the back of the street. It didn't look like the safest place to live but I figured it was definitely the cheapest.

I knew from looking through the folder back at the motel a few days back, which house was to be ours. It was small, really small. We had had a large, spacious, two story home back in Tokyo. In a higher income neighbourhood of Minato-

ku. With a well manicured front lawn and a large backyard. Full of trees and flowers. Big enough for a garden and a tree house, I even had a tree swing then.

There was way to much concrete here. The miniscule amount of greenery in the tiny yards was depressing. The front door of our house was propped open and I could see an elderly man, dressed in a plaid button down shirt and baggy jeans, being held up a pair of rainbow suspenders walk out. Who, I assumed was our landlord, strolled across the lawn and waved. My father drove past the tiny, bungalow style house and then backed the truck up into the driveway. I reached down and nudged Sammy awake. He had been passed out since the last state we drove through.

"Shin...crap. I mean Sammy. We're here." I whispered into his ear, it was going to take a long time yet for me to get used to our new names. We never bothered to use them back in Korea, but as soon as we touched down in the States. Our father had been adamant that we get used to using them. We did not want our cover blown and have to move again. I didn't want that either so I had been trying very hard to get used to using them.

Sammy groaned and then stretched he legs out, our father had already parked and abandoned the truck to talk to the landlord. So Sammy had all the leg room in the world to get the kinks out of his short body.

He groggily sat up, scanning the street and our meager front yard blearily.

"Hey, there's a kid in our yard!" He cried, pointing out my window. I turned with a tired sigh, this was the beginning of our new life. Finding a boy about Sammy's age, wearing an old worn out, angry birds t-shirt and frayed shorts. In a pair of rain boots of all things at the tail end of summer. He had tight, curly red hair and a heavy layer of freckles over a very round, sweet looking face.

"You better hop out and introduce yourself, he might be a neighbour." I instructed.

Sammy nodded and scrambled out of the truck. While I roll down my window, watching him talk briefly with the boy in his broken english.

"Sammy, who you?" He asked, with a timid smile.

"Morris Johnson, I lived a couple houses up the block with my mom." he pointed up the street.

I leaned my head back against the bench and sighed deeply, as the two fast friends began to run and fool around on the sidewalk. Soon using imaginary swords against each other. I was instantly jealous of my little brother. Of the fact that he can just accept everything and roll with the changes as if it doesn't really matter. But I knew deep down it was all a mask, he was putting on a strong for our fathers sake. Who was as emotionally fragile as thin glass. Sadly, I knew the truth of it, that at night Shingo still cried for our mother and clung to me like a frightened child. He was terrified of the world now and needed me to give him the strength and support to carry on. But ever since we left Washington, I was being the angry, bitter child who hates the whole world. I could be such a selfish, self absorb brat. Wallowing in my own issues and not being responsible. I vowed in that moment to devote myself to caring for my family. My dad didn't need any more crap to deal with. I needed to step up and be what he needed for a change, take care of him and Sammy. Until this nightmare blew over and we could get our real lives back.

I spent nearly four years, pinning for the life I had left behind. Never being able to feel satisfied with what I had. I wasn't ever truly happy, no matter how hard I tried. Always restless and searching for that nameless something that could fill the empty void I held in my soul.

 **Usagi Tsukino**

 **1995-2008**

 **(Bargaining)**

"Mama, tell me a story about the Celestial People? About the Moon and her Mighty Kingdom?" My voice, sweet but timid with the tilting lisp of a small child. Echoed in my mind, along with a long forgotten warmth. That washed away the anger and sadness of my previous memories.

"Get into the tub first, dear. Then while I wash you, I will tell you a story. Alright." Her voice was soothing and full of delight.

I always made her happy, my innocent antics always made her laugh.

"Here hold my hand." She offered, I still could not see her. The fog of transition as I moved into another life time still obscuring my sight. But suddenly I felt the familiar smooth skin brush up against the palm of my hand. The soft scent of lavender filled my nose as the memory began to form. Soap bubbles floated before me, glistening in the brightness of our large tiled bathroom. They swirled like fragile prisms, bursting before my eyes as my tiny hands smashed them into

the water. The bath water quickly fell away as I turned to view my mother. Who's brilliantly warm smile was like a beacon that always made me feel safe. She was beautiful, with long dark hair that fell down her back in silken waves. Her face was gentle, her eyes a deep blue and oh so serene.

Ikuko Tsukino was perfect...the most wonderful mother I could ever ask for.

The heat of the water surrounded me, as I basked in it's peaceful nature. It wrapped around me like a blanket, taking away all the aches I felt from a long day of hard play. The water smelled heavenly, as she had added rose hips and lavender oil to the bath. I was barely four years old at the time, but I loved the fairy tales my mother would weave for me at night. When I had a bath or was having trouble settling in my bed at night. I came to realize as I began to ascend that these tales were not something so innocent as a story to entertain me or get me to sleep. But had really happened to me in the distant past, in my very first life. That she would know all of this and in such great detail...left me shaken inside. Who was she? Who was the real Ikuko Tsukino?

"Why is the water so warm?" I moaned, finding the heat rather painful to my cuts and bruises, that I had accumulated over the last few days. It had been summer and I was rather prone to climbing trees. My father Kenji had come to nick name me little monkey.

"Because I'm not bathing you tonight, sweetie. I'm making soup!" Ikuko laughed softly, tickling me playfully under the arms making me giggle in delight.

"Stop teasing, Mama." I cried, my childish laughter echoing happily through out the bathroom. "Tell me about the Moon. Are the people anything like us?" I relented desperate to get her back on track before I was all washed up and the bath finished. Ikuko leaned back on her heels, away from the rim of the tub. Her body sheathed in a simple flower printed sun dress. Her belly swollen large with pregnancy. Crossing her bare arms over her ample breasts, her face was tranquil, but her dark blue eyes were clouded with memory.

"In some ways, yes. They look like humans do, but are more graceful. Their bone structure is more delicate and refined then earths and their coloring is different." She stated.

"How different?" I asked.

"The coloring of a planets people is a reflection of that planets soul. Earthlings skin tones are vibrant and diverse as is the planet itself. They imbue all the strength and wonder of nature, while the natives of the Moon. Were more tranquil and serene. The immortal children of the gods, born from the very fabric of the cosmos itself. They had pale skin tones and hair as pure silver as the starlight." She explained, her expression one of sad irreverence. The feel of her fingers, penetrating my twin buns. Pinching and pulling free the many hair pins. The gentle release of my long hair tumbling down my shoulder's and then the slight weight of the water soaking into the golden strands.

"Now for instance, if you were from Mars. This beautiful golden hair, that your father is so fond of. Would be a deep brown or as dark and mysterious as the night sky. Your sweet blue eyes more deep and soulful. Your skin would be dusky, less rosy. You stature lean and sublime as a hunter, your mind capable to traversing the planes of the dead." A cascade of warm water enveloped me, as she poured a bucket of bath water over my head. Needing to soak my long hair and make sure all the dirt and sweat of the day was washed out. Sputtering and blinking, I sought to distance myself from her. Wading to the far side of the tub. I never realized till I was older that she washed me like I was an American child, using the tub water to cleanse my hair and body.

"Mama!" I wailed indignantly. As she never gave me any warning before she did that.

"Gomen, I never expected you to turn that way." She apologized, leaning over to the wooden stool I would sit upon when I got older to take showers. Retrieving a soft white towel, with cute little black cats racing along the hem. She swiftly wiped the excess water away from my face with a soft corner.

"Did the Celestial People have little girls?" I wondered.

"Yes, and little boys. Men and women and houses and cities, great castles and majestic keeps atop great mountains.

They just looked different then what you have seen here on earth." She confided, refolding the towel and setting it aside.

"Will I ever get to see them? Will I ever be able to ascend to the heaven's, see the Moon Palace and meet Princess Serenity?" My voice was wistful and full of hope.

My memory condensed in that moment to a pin point focus, upon my mother face. As she gently caressed my cheek, the sadness in her eyes growing deeper. As if she truly remembered that time so long ago.

"We will see, Usagi dear. We live here, on earth now. Your father would miss you if you went away." She reminded me tenderly, "What would we do with out our girl." She added with a gentle laugh.

Upon reflection after so much had happened to me, I found her statement rather odd. She had known there was a chance, as remote as it was. That I could ascend into my goddess form again, reclaim my crystal and my kingdom. She seemed reluctant to hope, perhaps fearful of what I could become or if I would even survive the process...

"I'd be safe up on the Moon, Mama. Wouldn't I...? The Celestial people would not hate me, even though I'm human." I questioned.

Mother had looked away, rummaging at her side. "No one would ever hate you." She drew up high on her knees with that same large towel. Now pulled wide to receive me. "Stand up and step out carefully, Usagi." She commanded.

I felt the chill of the air as I stood, leaving the comfort of the water behind as I stepped out of the tub. She quickly wrapped me up in the towel, soothing away the goose flesh that had pimpled along my arms and legs. The soft fabric rubbing against my skin, as she dried every inch of my body. Then the smooth cotton of my night gown falling over my body.

"Come, sit in my lap in the living room while I brush you hair." She offered, taking my hand and guiding me out of the bathroom. I padded happily behind her was we walked down the hall, past the kitchen archway and then crossed the front foyer. Passing under the archway into our large living room. It was a beautifully furnished space, the walls filled with artwork. Delicate images of simple things, such as a field of wild flowers, lonely old buildings and the various evening landscapes that showed the phases of the moon. All painted by my mother's own hand.

This room had large windows that were now allowing the faint light of dusk to invade our beautiful home. The world outside was muted and serene, the moon had yet to show it's face and the last rays of the sun were reluctant to let go of the horizon. This was my most favourite time of the day, the in between time when both the sun and the moon shared the sky.

I scanned the room, finding my father lounging in his black leather recliner before the television. Still in his white dress shirt and suit pants from work. The top button undone and his tie hanging loose around his neck. It was evening and after supper so he was finally relaxing. Taking slow, savouring sips from the stout neck bottle of his rice beer. There was a loud variety show blaring out from the t.v. I found myself watching the silly antics of the performers. As my mother settled me down on her lap on our plush tan couch. She continued with her stories, of the long ago past. Of great kingdoms long crumbled to dust, of brave knights and heroic princesses who had fallen so deeply in love with their princes. Not even death could separate them. These stories invoked such a powerful sense of longing in me, I felt moved to tears every time she told them.

But this was were I felt safe, loved...happy...

This was...

Home.

I decided then that I didn't need anything more. I felt I could be content with this simple, parental love. I didn't need the earth shattering passion and devotion that Princess Serenity had experience with Prince Endymion. I felt if I willed myself to be content and not strive for more then I could stay in this perfect bubble forever.

I was loved, cherished...by this woman known as Ikuko Tsukino. In my eyes she was the most beautiful person I have ever known. With long ebony black hair that hung in loose waves down her back and the warmest blue eyes. Always full of delight when I bounded into her arms. She had a kind face, with pale skin that was absolutely flawless. Soft spoken but firm as a mother, always looking out for me. Scolding me when my play turned dangerous, or when I stubbornly broke her rules as I got older. I remember her as fair but demanding, she wanted me to work harder in school. Believing I was squandering my potential on frivolous things, such as listening to popular music or reading manga. She encouraged my love of music in other ways, paying for piano lessons. She had been wanting to teach me how to listen. To tune my ears to the subtly of sound, the elegance of rhythm and the complexity of musical notes. That only a classically trained musician would understand. But I quickly grew bored with the piano and begged her to allow me to quit. She fought me at first, using such motherly tactics such as guilt and disappointment to keep me going to my lessons. Finally relenting when I turned ten, finally noticing that I was practising the piano like a robot with no interest or passion at what I was doing. Just going through the motions, trying to make her happy even though I was miserable. So in the end she bought me my headphones and allowed me to explore music in my own ways.

I had had a good life, until the day she was killed...

 **Serenity Durant**

 **1979- 1995**

 **(Anger)**

"What the hell happened to your face?" A man's deep voice, speaking in french. Invades the darkness as one life passes away for another. The warmth and comfort I had felt before, dissipates like a dream. Leaving me feeling empty...cold and somewhat nauseous. As another less pleasant life takes hold.

My world slowly illuminates before me, as the unshaven face of a middle aged man dominates my vision. He is in his late thirties, with a heavy beard of dull brown specked with grey and thinning hair to match atop his head. He has a narrow face, with sallow skin from poor nutrition. His hazel eyes are slightly unfocused as he has clearly been drinking.

He has a good grasp upon my chin, forcing me to crane my neck upward at a painful angle. As he turns my head back and forth scrutinizing my injury. I refuse to answer him, stubbornly pressing my lips together tight. Knowing it was useless to confide in him. He was not a reliable person and kinda a coward. He would do nothing to protect me from my mother's abusive boyfriends. With a huff he lets go and walks across our small galley kitchen towards the beat up old refrigerator. Dressed in a pair of old baggy jeans and a stained t-shirt, with a faded jean jacket thrown over top. He walks with a shuffle, his left leg having gotten busted a decade ago and never being set right.

I remember him...Henri. He had been a fixture in my mom's life when I was in elementary school. He would drop by several times a week, looking for food or smokes. He was just one of her free loading friends. I was thankful, she didn't fool around with Henri like she did with the other men she brought by. Probably because Henri had nothing to offer, he didn't deal drugs or have money for alcohol. He was basicly a welfare check away from the streets, just like us.

With a disgruntled sigh, I watch as he rummages through our fridge no longer interested in me. I have always been easily dismissed in this tiny, run down apartment. I turn and leave the kitchen, taking about two steps out of the small alcove and into our living room. Finding my mother sprawled out unconscious on our beaten up old grey polyester love seat. The living room was spartan, with only the small couch and a large wooden rocking chair. With a large purple afghan draped over the wide back. The far corner held a small square television, set up on a couple stacked wooden crates. The screen slightly cracked in the lower corner. Both antennae were rusted and bent from my futile efforts over the years to get cable stations.

Our coffee table was a discarded wooden spool for electrical wire, my mother had stolen from a construction site. She had actually made one of her boyfriends haul it up here, the same neanderthal that had ruffed me up last night. The ugly piece of trash was to large for our living room, taking up all the walking space we had between the furniture and smelled of grease. Several empty beer bottles covered the top along with an overflowing ashtray. A vodka bottle was still partly gripped in her hand, as her arm dangled over the cushions.

She was mess, but I had only known her this way. Her long pale platinum blond hair hung like a dishevelled rag down her back. I had not reminded her lately to bathe, she had been in a drunken stupor for most this week. She smelled of stale alcohol and the spicy scent of sweat. She had a delicate, all most angelic face. She would have been very beautiful if she had taken care of herself. But she had dark circles under her eyes and her skin was worn and blemished by the amount alcohol she consumed daily. She smoked and did drugs if she could get her hands on them so that didn't help her complexion any either. Her clothes smelled like an ashtray and her breath always had a slightly foul scent. She was dressed in nothing but an oversized black rocker's t-shirt, with the ironed on decals of roses and skulls of an American heavy metal band. That was quite popular in the States, known as Guns and Roses. A shirt I had no doubt belonged to the bastard who had thrown me around. She hadn't been wearing it when I had left to hide out in our shared bedroom. Which meant that she had either sold herself for a fix, or been taken advantage off because she was drunk off her ass again. I hoped she was at least wearing underwear beneath.

"I gotta get to school, Henri. Could you hang out around here, till my mom wakes up? Tell her to eat something." I inquired, with little enthusiasm. Her diet of late had consisted of beer and smokes and I didn't want to deal with her having to go to the hospital for dehydration again. Henri would either do as I wished or not. Either way, I'd deal. I had learned to take care of myself and her from a very young age. I depended on no one but myself. Dragging the afghan off the rocker and covering Selene up as best I could. I did not want Henri getting any unsavoury idea's in his half lucid head about taking advantage of my mother's unconscious state.

"Sure." Came his reply.

I sighed and headed down our short hallway set off from the living area where the one bedroom we shared was. Stoping in the bathroom to give my face a brief once over and review my story for my teacher. I really did not want social services getting involved in my life again. I could not afford to be taken away and sent into the custody of Social Services. I had to care for my mother, if not for me I think she would have drank herself to death long ago.

Our bathroom was more of a glorified closet, with a tiny tub, toilet and cracked porcelain sink. The rusty framed mirror sported a long spider web crack in the upper left corner. I took a good long look at myself. Finding a tired, haggard looking eight year old version of myself staring back. My long golden blonde hair hung down my back, my parted bangs hanging low over my eyes. Sporting a bruise around my right eye, the upper lid still slightly swollen making that blue eye squint. My cheek was still rosy from the backhand I had received, for mouthing off. But taking a stand had felt good. My mother brought home some real assholes sometimes and they would command me about like I was their servant! It pissed me off to have to wait hand and foot on drunken losers so I had gotten angry and told him off. He had knocked me into a wall, while my mother just watched emotionless from the kitchen. I was used to her lack of involvement, she really didn't seem to care what happened to me. She was never really sober anyway, so I didn't take it to heart. She was a bad mom, but she was all I got.

I grimaced at how bad my eye looked then sighed with resignation. Hanging my head and shaking it sadly as I left the bathroom and headed into the shadowed bedroom to retrieve my jean, rhinestone studded backpack.

When I reentered the living room, Henri was leaning against the back counter in the kitchen, near the sink. Stuffing his face with a huge corned beef sandwich.

"Ok, spill. Munchkin." he pointed at my face again, mumbling out his demand around a mouthful of sandwich.

"I'm clumsy, Henri. You know that." I stated weakly, heading straight for the front door as if it was magnetized.

"Clumsy..." he muttered, following me and leaning against the hall foyer. As I got my worn out white sneaker's on and flung my backpack over my shoulder's. I was dressed in a pair of jean overalls with a simple white t-shirt that sported a large cute face of a black cat with exaggerated wide eyes. I only had a small set of clothes that fit so I kept them washed, thankful that this building had a laundry room in the basement. I didn't ever have much, but I took care of what I did have.

I rolled my eyes dramaticly. "Shit happens, you know that. Let it be. Ok."

"Who was it this time." he stared at me dead serious. I was taken aback by how much he cared about me. His eyes held a determination to seek justice on my behalf, he was enraged that a grown man would beat up a child. It gave me hope...but only briefly. I stamped that unreliable emotion down pretty fast.

"Tell me, Munchkin." He pleaded, taking a few steps forward and grasping my shoulder's. Seeking to comfort me so I would confide in him.

I smiled and laughed bitterly, Henri was my mom's longest friend and the only one who acknowledged me enough to give me a nickname. I couldn't help but feel slightly attached to him, he was the closest thing I had to a father figure.

"Jean-Paul." I grumbled, refusing to look up at him. Knowing the sympathy and rage in his eyes would make me cry.

"Ok, I can't do much about that." he groaned, steering me towards the door. "That man's a muscle bound monster. But I can help you lick your wounds." he shoved his feet into his old work boots then opened the front door for me.

"What about mom?" I whined, as he closed the door. Allowing me a moment to lock it.

"Fuck your momma, she should have said something, done something when that dumb ass knocked you around." He raged, storming off down the poorly lit hallway towards the stairs. "I don't understand that woman sometimes..." he muttered, scrubbing a hand through his unruly brown hair.

"I'm a fighter, Henri. I don't like how Jean-Paul bosses me and my mom around. My mouth just got the better of me. " I shrugged, "Jean-Paul's built like the 'Terminator'. But I'm sure he went easy on me cause I'm a kid, he might a really hurt my mom if she got involved." I offered as an excuse.

Henri slid his eyes my way as I walked astride of him, a look of appalled disbelief clear on his face.

I giggled at the absurd expression he wore.

"Are you going to walk me to school this morning?" I inquired politely when he followed me out of the dented back metal door. It's old hinges screamed in protest as I pushed it open, entering into the warm morning light upon the street. It was spring in the sprawling city of London, the days were wet and full of smog. We walked briskly down the grimy sidewalk of a narrow ghetto street in East London. The warmer weather melting the snow and making the rutted streets a muddy disaster to navigate through. With the barrier of ice gone, the trash left to rot over the winter in the alleys was thawing. Giving the air a tangy, putrid aroma as we headed away from the run down blocks of tenement housing.

Soon we crossed a wide boulevard, leaving the poor, desperate area we lived in behind us. For the rich victorian estates

that crowded the wider avenues on the other side. Henri turned to me, as we crossed into a side street filled with small cafe's and convenience stores.

"You hungry?" He asked, slowing down outside a brightly painted store front. The color scheme was blue and green with bold lettering over the display window that read Best-One.

I didn't say a word, my stomach growling for me. I hadn't had breakfast and I was unsure if I even had something to eat last night. Jean-Paul had pretty much taken over the apartment like his was the Lord of the manor and sent me into a tail spin into the living room wall within the first hour of his arrival. I might have even gone unconscious after that, I don't remember to much besides waking up on the bedroom floor this morning.

Henri nodded and smiled, then marched into the store. Leaving me outside, waiting awkwardly against a lamp post for him to return. Several minutes later he reappeared with a long baguette and a small tub of Nutella. Grinning like he had just won the lottery he offered the repast to me eagerly.

"It's not much, but it's the best breakfast you will ever eat." he stated.

I laughed and took the bread and chocolate spread happily.

"Thank you." I nodded, debating if I could stop for a few minutes at a near by bench and devour this. If I ran the next few blocks I could reach school and eat this on the front steps before first bell.

"Get going. If you mother brings home any more human trash, you come down to my apartment and hang out with me. Ok, Munchkin?" Henri offered, as I dashed away. My heart lightened by his kindness and hope blossoming inside me for the first time. That there was hope for people, that they could overcome the darkness that bloomed inside their heart. That not all people were selfish and cruel, that at least one person had cared for me, even just a little bit.

I was unwanted, resented...by the woman known as Selene Durant. In my eyes she was still the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. With long silver-blonde hair that tumbled down her back all the way to her bottom. With the most striking ice blue eyes, always glaring at me with reprimand. Her features were perfectly formed and so angelic. She had a strength and poise that I could never possess. Soft spoken but cold towards me. Apathetic to my safety and just uninvolved in my life. As if she had given up on me before I was even born. She was never home much, always working one part time job or another. Never responsible or sober enough to keep a job for long. Drinking or gambling away our meager savings. I never felt like her daughter, we were strangers who lived under the same roof. As I got older I felt more like the parent. Taking care of the bills and groceries before she spent our monthly allowance. Cooking and cleaning up our small flat in London, being the responsible one. While she would breeze in at all hours of the night with strange men.

I remember all I wanted was to be loved by her, I craved any sort of praise or affection. But received none. I cried a lot as a small child, not understanding what I had done to make her so mad at me. When I was thirteen she sent me to the Genesis project in Caen. I thought this was my chance to prove to her, that I wasn't a waste of a human being. That I could become someone great, do remarkable things and then, then she would finally love me.

I had had a sad life, full of disappointments until the day I killed myself...

 **Sere**

Several life times passed, in quick succession as my soul regressed. I came realize that both Selene and Ikuko's soul were linked to mine. I would be raised by either woman, Selene never changed. She possessed the same body just I did in every life time. We seemed timeless...While Ikuko's soul would reincarnate into a new human body every lifetime. This new paradox, left me confused and torn inside.

How did this cycle begin? What happened in the first life time to create this endless loop of karmic retribution?

 **Meng Jiang**

 **China-Han Dynasty**

 **(Denial)**

My soul eventually passed into another prominent incarnation. One that held the roots to my thirst of justice, my natural fighting abilities and the rebirth of my Silver Crystal.

It was feudal China, during the Rebellion of the Seven States. I was hold up in a Shinto Shrine near Xian Provence. In a small obscure village near the five Sacred Mountains. I had ran in disgrace after my sister's in arms had been killed in

battle. My lover murdered before my very eyes by the one woman I had trusted most...the women I had been sworn to protect.

Years earlier, I had been the leader of an honour guard for Wang Zhi. The favourite consort of Emperor Jingdi of Han. Wang had remained on the sidelines of a feud between the Emperor's first wife Bo and his first concubine Li for several years. When Li became pregnant with the Emperor's first child, Bo who had been incapable of bearing him any children. Had begun a war within the Emperor's household, in the end Bo had been killed. But it had spurned the Emperor into forming an Honour guard to protect his other cherished concubine... Wang Zhi. She was unwilling to have men living so closely with her and convinced the Emperor to find her capable women instead.

As a toddler I had washed up upon one of the beaches of Hubei Provence. My people lost amid the waves, during a terrible storm. Leaving me alone and unprotected in this world. I had wandered up the Yangtze river to a small fishing village known as Lizhuang. Being of Nordic descent with my blonde hair and blue eyes, I was seen as an outsider and not to be trusted. So naturally I was shunned by the villager's. Left to fend for myself, alone and starving on the streets. Only the local Taoist priest had been willing to offer me shelter. He had taken pity on me and raised me in the safety of his Shrine. He taught me the ways of the Universe and not to be ashamed of who I was. That I was meant to exist and that the universe had a plan for me. I just had to follow the right path to my destiny.

I had grown up ridiculed for my foreign looks and seen as a bad omen by the overly superstitious towns people. Facing all manner of abuse when I was forced to leave the shrine on errands for my master. Being unjustly blamed for the blight and disease that affected the local farms or infected the towns citizens.

The priest had instilled a solid spiritual foundation within me, that gave me a strong moral compass to overcome my tragic lot in life. He educated me in the ancient traditions of the Tao, teaching me to read and write and also heal. I would never allow the intolerant villagers to break my spirit or bend my will. I knew who I was and what my worth truly was. In time after the Priest past away, I took over the shrine. I had tended the shrine tirelessly through out my youth and helped the priest heal many of the villagers, or prepared the dead for the next world. My years of hard work and commitment to the village had earned me a certain level of respect, by the time I became an adult. But that regard wasn't absolute, many villagers still feared me,mostly the men. Feeling that my pressence at the Shrine as a Priestess was sacrilege.

It was my fearlessness and bold behaviour not to be intimidated by the men in my village that got the Emperor's attention. During his quest for able women to protect Wang. I was taken against my will to the Palace and trained with his army for several seasons. Forced to once again leave behind one life for another.

I had been granted two boons, finding my one true love in a fellow Soldier in Jingdi's royal army. A handsome, honourable and compassionate man. Who I trusted fully to care for and protect my heart, my body and my soul. I also found true friendship with four other women destined to be part of the honour guard. Who were upon retrospect the previous reincarnations of my current girlfriends. Mina, Raye, Amy and Lita. They were to be under my command and we had protected Wang on countless occasions. Wang was the Emperors favourite consort now that Li had grown older and had bore him a son. Li was becoming increasingly jealous of the attention Wang was receiving. Emperor Jinghi had promised Li that she would become his Empress but had yet to honour his promise. Li was thus worried that Wang, now that she was pregnant again would succeed her and take away the power she felt she deserved by bearing the Crown Prince Liu Rong. Wang had already bore the Emperor several daughter's and if she bore him a son this time, Wang would have the leverage she needed to discredit Li and cast her out of the palace. Li was her worst enemy, her lack of tact and the unholy tantrums she threw at the Emperor was all Wang needed to discredit her.

Li had made several attempts on Wangs life over the last few years. We had no evidence to bring to the Emperor, each assassin having committed honourable suicide before me or my guards could question them. We had lost several poison testers over the last couple years as well. Li wasn't going to give up, it was just rumour but most of the Han elite believed she had murdered Empress Bo. If she had succeeded before, she felt confident that she could succeed again. Her tactics which had been very sly in the past, I hoped would become more desperate and bold as Wang grew with child. She would not allow Wang to become Empress, she wanted that honour for herself. In time Wang gave birth to a son and the child soon became my responsibility to protect as well.

In the end, Wang proved to be far more devious, her resolve to ensure her sons place upon the throne absolute. Her ambition knew no loyalties. She had garnered a secret alliance with the Emperor's sister, Princess Piao. Who whispered in the Emperor's ear, stoking the embers of fear for his current, jealous Empress who despised his many concubines. Using the fate of Emperor Gao's favourite consort Qi, who had just recently been tortured and killed by Gao's own jealous Empress months before. Cultivating and nourishing a fear of Li's son's eventual ascension to the throne and the pain and suffering he would then inflict upon the many women in Jing's own harem.

Wang had hatched a plot of assignation upon herself and her infant son during our pilgrimage through Xian Provence. The attack of several bandit gangs had begun at dusk just as we were in route up a secluded road of Mount Song to

retire at a local hot springs inn.

I had been in the lead on horseback, when the arrows rained down upon us from the skirt of trees against the north side of the road. My sister's in arms and the man I loved more then life itself got caught in the melee. They defended Wang's carriage to their deaths. While I struggled to fight my way back to their side.

When the dust settled and all the bandits were slane, I was surrounded by death not many of Jing's men had survived. The footmen, servants and soldier were all dead. My lovers corpse lay broken upon the side of the road. My sister's sprawled at the foot of Wang's carriage, their faces stilled by death. I wailed to the heavens, my grief exploding in my chest. As my soul cried out desperately for a way to still save them to bring them back from the plane of the dead. I couldn't be alone...I could not go on in this life without them.

The good spirits felt pity upon me, igniting a fire inside my chest that quickly built into an inferno. Consuming my heart in the process, as one of my tears transformed into a magnificent crystal. It was my treasure, my source of comfort given life by my grief. A gift bestowed upon me by the gods.

I kept it hidden, as I confronted Wang about the attack. Pulling her violently out of the charred and broken carriage. Uncaring about the terrorfied babe left wailing inside for it's mother. As I shoved her to the ground, ready to exact my vengeance upon her. She denied any involvement in this attack, stating Li's jealousy as always as the catalyst. But this time I saw the gleam of triumph in her eyes, it was enough for me to finally loss all faith in her. She had become so consumed with the pursuit of power that she could no longer see the death toll she had accumulated around her. The once sweet, caring young woman I had loved had changed into someone I loathed. I knew Li's now fully grown son, was to be accused of trying to murder Wang and her son. The turmoil to come within the Han Dynasty when Emperor Jing found out would be cataclysmic. But I wanted nothing more to do with royal infighting.

With Shang, my lover's best friend at my side we left the senseless massacre and my duty to Wang behind. I knew by leaving her and her baby to fend for themselves on the long road up the mountain was comitting treason. But I did not care anymore, I had been betrayed and my only family had been slaughtered. All in the name of one woman's thirst for power...

Consumed by my grief, I was unable to sleep, to eat or even care for myself. So Shang took it upon himself to care of me. The first glimmer of hope that I could survive beyond my loved ones deaths came months later. When I was bestowed with a another gift, one of new life. My love, had seeded a daughter inside my womb and I was to be a mother in less then six months time.

As the year went on and the rebellion burned across China, Shang shielded and protected us. Taking us into hiding from one shrine to another staying just ahead of Jing's forces. Until now...

The front of the Temple was completely engulfed with fire, a thick layer of dark smoke was filling the air. Billowing like a caustic fog all around me, as I ran down a narrow hall towards the back of the building. I had to cover my face with an arm to protect it from the heat. The thin white silk of my temple robes clung to my body, stained grey from the smoke. My red obi sash was now wrapped protectively around my newborn's frail body as I cradled her to my chest. There is no way this fire didn't have help, it was consuming the whole shrine far to quickly. The shrine was old, the wood perhaps dry and brittle. It would take no time at all for it to come crumbling down around me.

Still I couldn't help but believe it had been set deliberately to trap me and my child inside. The Emperor wanted me dead, for not upholding my duty to his mistress. Who had now become his empress. Li had been dethroned and cast into exile along with her son. Jingdi had since been sending samurai after me for months. Shang and I had eluded them again and again, but this time they had caught up to me. It was harder to move quickly with an infant, camping in the woods or hiding out in cold, dirty barns was no place for a baby. My need to stay longer and longer at each shrine so she could know comfort and warmth had been my undoing.

I could hear the blood-curdling screams of trapped monks being burned alive in other parts of the sprawling temple. The agonizing sounds sent cold chills up my spine. Overwhelming anxiety gnawed at me, my stomach twisting in fear.

The smoke is to heavy and soon I am crawling along the floor, desperate to find clean air. My baby has stopped crying, even the pathetic whimper's she had been making earlier have ceased. An icy dread claws at my mind that perhaps she is already dead? The crystal I had been bestowed, by the gods has never held any power for me. It hangs from my neck on a silver chain, swinging back and forth along the crest of my breasts like a soulless stone. I did not understand why the gods would be so sadistic as to offer me a power I could not use. What purpose was this crystal for? Was it mine or was I merely the messenger sent to find its true owner?

My thoughts were in turmoil trying to figure out the reason for this crystal, while I keep low to the ground and moved as fast as I can. Cursing myself, Wang, The Emperor and Gods themselves for this unjust fate. My child deserved a chance to live and I was willing to forfeit my own life if it meant she would be able to take just one more breath.

I feel the heat from the blaze like a solid wall against my face. It's so incredibly hot, I can feel it singeing my exposed skin. It steals my breath and stings my eyes, that are already blurry from the smoke and my raging emotions. Fuelled by anger, fear and grief I scream at the wall of fire now surrounding me. Having crawled into a dead end room I have no idea were I am or how to escape.

Trapped...

My heart lurched in my chest and my breath hitched as my first sob of despair escaped from my lips. My face was blackened with soot, my lips dry and cracked from the heat. The hot, wet tears that now cascaded down my face. Left shimmering trails down my face, making me feel more parched and exhausted then before. As I cast my gaze around the charred room, desperate for escape. I find only the orange, hazy glow of fire licking up the walls. I was scrambling to back track the way I had come, as I catch sight of a cross beam come crashing down on the far side of the room. Blocking the entrance I had used to get in here. I cover my face and head, as ash and sparks rain down over me. Fire shoots towards me like the blast from a firework. I could hear myself scream, the sharp echo of my terror is drowned out by the roar of the blaze. As I was throw backwards by a rush of scalding air. I hug my daughter to me with the last of my strength as I crash threw another wall. Laying prone and half alert upon the floor of the next room, I stare upward at the ceiling. The fire is crackling above me, eating up the wood like hell itself has come to devour me.

I can't stop the tremors that are now shivering through my body. Squeezing my eyes shut, I deny that this is happening. Trying to convince myself that it is all a dream. It just can't end like this, not when I've finally found happiness again. I haven't had the chance to tell Shang what he means to me...how much I appreciate him, how I had finally accepted that I had fallen in love with him. I wanted to live...I wanted to raise this precious little girl with him. We had talked so much about building a life together, back in the village I had been raised in, on the shores of the Yangtze river.

With a strangled sob, I open my eyes accepting that this is my last breath. Drawing my baby's limp body up from my breast. I lay her swaddled form near my head upon the floor, she is no longer breathing. Her eyes closed as if sleeping. Her little round face pale and smeared with soot. I roll onto my side, slipping a finger into the red fabric draped over her head, I pull it back. Wanting a final look at her before I die and follow her into the afterlife. She was so sweet and pure, with such light blonde hair, kissed by the tint of the Sakura Blossom. In the short time she had lived, she had been loved...truly loved.

I am having trouble breathing, the smoke has filled my nose and lungs and each breath I take feels like knives are dragging up and down my throat.

I kiss two of my fingertips and press them to her forehead, it had been my gesture of love to her. That I did every night when I put her down to sleep. She would sleep now for all eternity and it seemed the proper way to say my final goodbye. As my last breath shuddered in my chest, I felt that same soothing warmth when my crystal had first appeared. It grew in intensity, shielding my body from the flames. Engulfing me in my child in a blazing white light...then there was nothing...

 **Sere**

I was once again floating in that timeless void between life and death. It was peaceful here. All the chaos and pain of that last life had dissolved away. It wasn't completely dark, a filtered light mixed with the emptiness. Allowing me to see the iridescent shadows that moved in the distance, fellow souls I believed. Crossing the veil into rebirth or returning here from life. The calm quietness of the void chased away my worries and concerns. Leaving me in a serene state of being that would hard to leave.

In the far off distance a brilliant white light glimmered. It seemed to dance in that empty darkness on the horizon, beckoning me to approach. Soft voices echoed from within that celestial illumination, calling to me to come home. Their song was ethereal and angelic, I felt an eerie sort of deja vu as I listened to them. I had heard this song before a long, long, time ago. It filled me with both longing and a great sadness.

My soul began to reach towards that light, as it was calling to me. Pleading for me to return to where it all began. To understand the truth of my existence and take up the mantle I had discarded so long ago.

 _ **(Serenity do not...go towards that light.)**_

The wizened voice penetrated my lonely void, startling me and forcing my soul to pause and pay attention.

 _ **(I have to face my past, Master.)**_ I called back into the void, never expecting an answer but needing to voice my resolve.

 _ **(Your soul is not whole, you are not strong enough to endure ascending to your true self.)**_ Master Chou's voice was

firm but still soft with compassion. Understanding how difficult it would be for me to abandon my quest when I had gotten so close to completing my objective. He had been pushing me endlessly during my training to achieve this enlightenment. To have him pull me back from the brink so close to its completion was painful. I had been so scared of my first life, of what horror and grief awaited me there that I had ran from it. But now I was ready, I wanted to attain my full powers, that lay in the core of my Silver Crystal and fix this world!

( _ **No! I need to do this...I need to make things right again.)**_ I shouted back defiantly into the void. _**(I will take the chance**_ _**that I can survive this, I've survived so much already! I am stronger then any of my previous incarnations. I can do this...I need you all to believe in me!)**_

I rushed for the light, refusing to retreat now that I had come so far. I needed to know what happened to create this karmic hell I was trapped in. This was the only way, I had to see it through to the end.

I was desperate and not thinking straight, I just wanted the power that Master Chou had promised me if I ascended back into Princess Serenity. I had tasted that power several times over the last couple life times. Every time I managed to tap into the Silver Crystals full potential I had changed the world. Brought my loved ones back from death, or lost control of it resulting in my regression back into an infant. It was a fifty, fifty gamble, I would either live or start over from the beginning...I wanted to chance it!

I heard my Master shouting for me to return, his voice frantic and filled with fear. But I ignored him, I couldn't turn back now. I had to do this!

The featureless flow of the void rushed past me as I charged towards the light. I was gaining speed as my determination built. The light flared as I approached, blinding me and sending a sharp, acute pain slicing through my soul. I screamed in agony, as the edges of that incredible light began to devour me.

Then a freezing wall of energy rose up in front of me. I slammed into it at full force before reaching the light. My soul reeling as I was flung backwards away from the light. As if an explosion had gone off.

 **(STOP! I will not allow you to throw your life away again!)** A woman's booming voice rebounded like a thunder clap through the void. Shrill and full of terror, it stilled my soul and had my full attention instantly. The filtered light of the void began to swirl and flicker around me, then my existence shifted away from the light as if a sliding glass door had been shut in front of me. My first life was sealed away behind a barrier and I could no longer reach it.

The grief and loss that engulfed me next shallowed me wholly. I wailed in rage and sobbed in anguish into the darkness. As the void began to clear, a great heaviness of disappointment was sitting upon my chest as I struggled to take in air. The real world began to form once again, blurry silhouettes of two men hovering over me. The faint light of dawn filtering in through my Master's room. As I groggily opened my eyes, returning to life and it's uncertain future once again.

My quest was over and I had to face my life again, as feelings of failure and dissatisfaction washed over me. I curled up into a tight ball, I was so overwhelmed by my past lives. I felt shredded, as I cried uncontrollably into my knees. I was devastated by what I had witnessed and grieved for the first life I had yet to remember.

Where did I go from here...how would I prevail over Black Widow if I couldn't control my crystal? My chances at stopping her were not better then when I started this journey...


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Author's note:Dukka, one of the four noble truths of Buddhism. Life is suffering, pain, anxiety, stress and dissatisfaction. It defines our existence in life and drives us, we need to overcome this to achieve enlightenment.

 **Six weeks later...**

Darien stood outside on his condo's balcony in a pair of worn blue jeans and a black muscle shirt that hugged his fighter's physic like a second skin. The sleeveless garment putting his well defined muscles on display. They rippled and flexed as he held a beer in one hand, clenching his cell phone in the other. While leaning against the railing watching the sunset against the backdrop of the high rise condo's across the street. Staring at the matching balcony to his that once held Serenity. Her ghost still lived over there in her own Condo, mocking him that he couldn't hold her, talk to her...love her in all the ways he had wanted. She was gone, out of reach and unwilling to return.

He threw the smokey glass bottle at the cement, needing to break something. Needing to find some sort of relief from his constant pain. Hearing the glass shatter into a million pieces down below wasn't satisfying in the least. He growled and returned his cold glare back to her empty balcony.

Tiger called almost every evening, telling him about what was going on. She had woken up three days later after going catatonic while meditating at the Mountain Temple. She refused to talk to Tiger about what she had relived. The trauma of it so severe it had reignited her Genesis State once again.

From then on she was holding up her Master's room from dawn until late at night, training...she had told Tiger. To use the connection she had to her crystal safely and master her Genesis State. That was all he knew, the old man was just training her to wield her Genesis State and her crystal so that it would not consume her again. These phone calls were the only means Darien had of keeping himself calm. Knowing she was alright, dealing but alive.

Tiger had told him that they had been in Osaka for a few days before they left for China. That she had signed over all her rights to her club to the shareholders. Relinquishing her ownership back to the financial group who had loaned her the money to open the place. Severing the last of her roots to Japan. Then they had boarded a plane to China, heading overland to a monastery to console Po's son. As far as he knew they were still there?

He had been angry at first when Tiger had told him Po was dead. Knowing the man's body had been only a few feet away in Ido's office and he had not even made into that room to see it. Completely oblivious to the pain Serenity was going through over the man's death. He had dealt with that guilt and was now working towards being ready to confront Black Widow...who he had recently found out. Was actually Queen Selene. Serenity's true mother from her first lifetime...the fact that she was still alive was mind boggling. How many lifetimes had she been scheming to take over the earth, he couldn't fathom but they had no more time to prepare to defend this planet. They had to confront her and quickly, every nation had suffered at her hands in that worldwide attack. Her loyal followers had infected every world power like a silent cancer. Their influence corrupting and slowly crippling the world military. She had had agents in every country poised and ready to strike and cause chaos at her slightest whim. Things had been quiet for weeks since, but every nation was on high alert.

To the seasoned soldier, Endymion. Who knew that this lull in the fighting only meant she was amassing her troops for a full on invasion. Her army's ranks would swell and then flood the earth in a cataclysmic attack, bringing one nation to it's knees at a time till the whole earth was crushed under her domination.

So he had been training like a man possessed all day with Hollywood, wanting to be in top shape when they found out where she was. Needing the distraction and the utter exhaustion at the end of the day to actually sleep. Otherwise his mind would spin him into knots.

Zac had healed up, having to use a cane his doctor had prescribed. Limping around stubbornly, when he had to walk, casting the cane bitter looks. He had started training again with Darien, lifting weights and jogging with out his cane. Amy had argued with him for weeks, wanting him to ease up and not damage his body any more. Finally relenting and letting him do as he pleased. He was his own man after all and she needed to stop treating him like a invalid when he clearly was physically stronger and more determined then ever to be in prime shape for the coming battle.

It had taken some time, but Amy had resurrected the data on the hard drive and they had a lot to explain to Serenity when

they met up again. The true reason for this Agency wasn't to keep the peace between humans and Genesis Born but something far more sinister. With the Immortal Queen of the Moon at the black heart of it all.

Right now it was a waiting game...

When 'My Immortal' by Evanessence started to play from his phone, drawing him away from his bitter contemplations. He quickly swiped the screen and pressed the phone against his ear. Darien had placed that as his ring tone. It seemed to personify his eternal relationship with the absent Sere, the tortured immortal princess that haunted every piece of him. His heart ached every time he heard that song, it spoke of all the pain and desire he felt towards her. Reminding him of why he fought and what further torment could always lay ahead between them. All the struggle they had lived through again and again in an attempt to finally break free of this karmic cycle and feel truly alive again!

"Hey, how is she?" Darien didn't care for small talk, he just wanted the details and fast. When Tiger had called a week after Sere broke her promise to return. He had told him to sit still and wait, that she needed time and that he promised to look after her till she was ready to come back to him. He wanted to find Tiger there and then and beat the living crap out of him. It felt like the man was stealing his girl away from him. It was beyond unfair that he got to hold her when she cried, console her and provide all the comfort and safety that he needed to give her. In the end he had relented and gave her the space she needed, he loved her more then his will to breathe and if this is what she needed then he would put his own needs aside. But as every day past it was getting harder and harder. He wanted to go to her, fix things..hold her... anything. He just couldn't live with out her. He fought the need to jump on a plane every time Tiger called.

"She was quiet today, barely left her room at the Temple. She's been depressed but determined to accomplish something here at the Monastery. The head monk has been the only one she allows into her room now. Then out of the blue this evening she was packed up and heading out of the temple." Tiger sounded agitated and tired.

"Where are you now?" Darien inquired, his heart slamming against his chest. Hoping like hell they were back in Tokyo.

"Were in fucking Shanghai! Guizhou province, in the Tongren prefecture to be exact." Tiger spat back, sounding down right pissed.

"Why..." Darien was on his feet instantly and heading for the balcony door.

"Because she has lost her freak'in mind! That why! " Tiger ranted back. "She wants to go hiking into the Fanjing mountains tomorrow. Like were going on some kind of lame ass sight seeing tour? But something's up with her, she's acting like nothing big is going on. But she can't fool me, that monk said something to her to lead us here. She tries to hide it, with her sweet smiles, assuring me this is just a stop over before we head back to Tokyo. Lies right to my face, as if I can't smell the fear all over her! I know she's scared, really fucking scared. "

"Are you checked into a hotel?" Darien was on the move, storming back into his condo and down the hall. Ignoring the questioning stares he was recieving from Raye, Mina, Amy and Zac. Currently camped out in his living room.

"Yeah, She's up in our room having a bath. I'm out grabbing us some supper from a noodle cart just down the block."

Tiger grumbled back. "You need to get your ass on a plane right now and come talk some sense into her."

"I'm already out the door, man." Darien shouted back sharply, stuffing his black duffle bag with clothes that now lay open on his bed.

"She thinks I don't know her true plan, that I haven't been eaves dropping on her little conference calls with that Head Monk!" Tiger was all out shouting now, he was so furious. "She's planning on ditching me during the hike and going up to the summit alone to confront her mother. This Celestial Temple she's been hunting for its at the top of those mountains. It's the bridge between our world and the Realm of the Gods. She wants to confront her mother and take back the Silver Crystal on her own! She doesn't seem to care that she's no match for her, she may haver her Genesis powers back but she' still just human. Her psycho mother's a Goddess, capable of killing her in an instant with out an once of remorse."

"Calm down, Tiger. Calm down!" Darien's voice was commanding. "I need you to hold on to her for me, stall her long enough for me to get there!" He killed the call and shoved his cell into a pocket of his jeans. Then raced down the hall, with his duffle over his shoulder, his heart clenching tight. He couldn't loose her, not again. Struggling against the pain that gripped him like a vice, he tore through the living room. She was repeating the same pattern as she did back during the Silver Millennium. Going off on her own, leaving everyone behind in some selfless belief that she was saving them. That dealing with her crazy mother was her responsibility to do... alone.

"What's going on!" Mina jumped to her feet as he headed for the door.

"Were going to China, get your shit packed and meet me at Narita!" Darien called back, slamming the front door as he

left.

 **Four hours later...**

Serenity had been in an overly exuberant mood after supper was finished. As if all those weeks pent up in the meditative silence and thoughtful solitude of the monastery. Had snapped her out of her depressed funk. She was extraordinarily happy, almost manic in how ardent she was that tonight, they were going to live life to the fullest. She got herself together, in a little black nylon skirt that hugged her hips and a champagne peasant halter top. That barely covered her mid drift and plunged in waterfalls of lace over her bust. Her golden hair cascading down her back and over she shoulder's, shimmering like the purest silk. With just a touch of makeup, highlighting her gorgeous bedroom blue eyes and a shine of gloss on her plump lips, she was ready to conquer the club scene here in Shanghai.

Tiger had just gone with it, sticking close and watching her cautiously. Wanting to blend in with the wild crowds she wanted to wade into. He had dressed to kill...literally. In a pair of black leather pants and a complicated looking zippered sleeveless vest. His Genesis simmering just under his skin, all his senses aware and primed to protect her.

She was acting like this was her last night on earth and Tiger hated it!

Tiger watched her sadly as she hailed a cab, from the curb outside their modest hotel. The sights and sounds of Shanghai bombarded him like a physical blow. The intensity of this city with it's brazen neon lights, cacophony of noise and smothering crowds. Put metropolitan meccas like New York to shame. Car alarms were screaming in the distance, brakes squealing and people yelling in the congested traffic that was inching by down the street. It was down right maddening. The foot traffic upon the sidewalk was a rapid flow of frantic humanity, chattering and bumping against each other. Twisting through the obstacles of food carts and vendor booths every few meters, like single minded ants busy inside an anthill.

Red taxi's blended into the sea of all manner of vehicles down the winding narrow street. Moving like blood cells amid the chaos of rickshaws, bicycles, white cargo trucks and small economic cars. Steam and the greasy stench of unwashed pedestrians and deep fried food was thick in the air. There wasn't a single tree or shrub to be seen, just an endless stream of urban sprawl. It was suffocating and Tiger was having a hard time acclimating to this congested environment after weeks of being surrounded by nature and the secluded tranquility back at the monastery.

The nightlife in Shanghai was beautiful, the bund beyond the Huangpu river is majestic and colourful. With elegant shopping complex's and old world style buildings, glittering among the modern towers and glowing neon banners. The club she chose to start off the evening was located on the fourth floor of a giant shopping mall. The elevator taking them up to the private floor, was mirrored on the inside. Casting their multiple reflections back upon them in a dizzying effect. Tiger kept his peace, while Serenity was hopping on her toes with pent up excitement. When the elevator dinged and deposited them into the demi light on the fourth floor. They found the club packed and bursting outside in long lines of young people waiting to get in.

A huge, simple neon sign, dominated the glass doors of the entrance. Tiger read the script out front, quietly. The sign promoting the place as M2... 'MUSE2'. He wondered oddly what had happened to MUSE1? Instantly warning klaxons are going off inside his head, grabbing her elbow as she weaves through the line catching the eye of the bouncer up front.

This wasn't safe... being trapped inside a suffocating, loud cement box. If something bad went down, how the hell was he going to protect her. She never even noticed when his hand clamped down on her elbow wanting to pull her away from her destination. Serenity smiled sweetly up at the bouncer, a huge wall of a man, with his dark hair buzzed tight to his cranium. Dressed in a glittering silver shirt that hugs his massive chest and tight black dress pants barely containing his powerful thighs.

"Serenity Moon!" He laughed, catching sight of her. "Long time, La' me'i" He grinned broadly and opened the door wide, ushering them both in ahead of the line. The people left outside began to howl and complain at their special treatment. The bouncer shut them up instantly with a threatening glare, bending down to talk against the shell of Serenity's ear in mandarin. "Diana is up front tonight. She would love to see you again, Miss Moon." He nodded his head toward the stage hovering at the head of the club, as he straightened up.

Serenity merely nodded,the deafening pounding of the electronic base making speech impossible. Diana had been a rival Dj at one time, they had battled many times in seedy club back when she first started out. Now they were both famous and very good friends but they spun on opposite sides of the sea.

With out further delay, he left their side returning to guarding the front doors.

The club had the feeling of a huge industrial warehouse, with high ceilings covered in metal girders. Strobe lights and spots of various colours track over the massive dance floor beyond the sprawling lounge area. Filled with the young,

gorgeous people of the club scene here in Shanghai. Grinding and dancing fluidly in a mass sea of hedonistic pleasure.

The massive DJ booth sitting like the grand dais for a throne, dominated the front of the dance floor. The short haired platinum blonde, DJ, moved like smooth, velvet liquid behind the Mix Table. Dressed in a tiny black leather vest that showed over her mid drift and tight pants. Clutching a silver headset to one ear, nodding her head to the beats. Matching the RPM's of her songs perfectly as she transitioned. Pulling even more people away from the bar and onto the dance floor. Her slender arms and lithe frame, floating between her decks like a spirit. As she pumped out the trance remixes of popular songs, before all the dancer's worshiping her beats. The incredible sound system throbs through the darkened club like the heart beat of some great god. Absorbing everyone lounging in the semi circle of silver tables and soft black leather booths. Drinking quietly from their glasses, nodding their heads to the rhythm and grinning with out a single inhibition. Addicted to the music and enjoying the night with out a single care.

Serenity turned back to Tiger after surveying the free atmosphere of the club, a brilliant smile plastered to her angelic face.

"I'm heading to the bar for a drink, you want anything?" She offered.

Tiger's mouth hung open for an instant...Serenity did not drink? What the hell? Tiger quickly gathered his wits, she had been full of surprises all day.

"I'm going to go find us a table, then." He leaned in, speaking loudly against her head.

She merely nodded, not intending to sit for long. Weaving smoothly in the throng of people vying for space around the black lacquered bar that wrapped around the left edge of the dance floor.

Tiger watched her wade into the crowds, with a foreboding growing in his heart. His heightened senses suddenly perked, as he felt he wasn't the only person in this cacophony of lights and sounds watching her. With a low growl of threat, he faded into the maze of cafe tables and leather booths. Disappearing into the depths of the shadows incasing the very back corner of the club. Scanning the rafter's above with keen eyes, that shone with a mirror's glow of a hunting animal.

He caught sight of three silhouettes skulking near the roofs back windows. They climbed through an open window and disappeared up onto the rooftop. Leaping up into the all consuming darkness above as he caught the slightest amount of more movement, up behind the row of glass windows on the far side of the club. Even more threats were lurking just outside. With a low grow he slunk down the heavy metal beam his body primed for a fight. Slipping out the same open window he crawled out onto the roof to investigate.

Serenity downed a few shots that were lined up on the counter for her, in quick succession. As she searched for Tiger amid the milling crowds in the lounge area behind her. Not finding a trace of his bright orange hair in the mass of humanity, she merely shrugged and gave into the spell weaving around the dance floor. She left the bar as the music was calling to her, to join the fray of wild abandon. Easing into the dance floor, moving her body unconsciously to the deafening beats. Her smooth, movements blending seamlessly into the sea of grinding bodies. The heat of the crowds soothing her, the base vibrating through her body like a great, all consuming heart beat. Throbbing like the pulse of eternity, as she became one with the dance floor. Finally she felt safe enough to take a much needed breath. Closing her eyes as the stress faded away, cleansed and protected by the womb of dancers and the heavy beats as she twisted and turned herself seductively amid the throng.

A pair of delicate hands grabbed her waist and pulled her into a soft female body. Serenity snapped her eyes open to find a long ebony haired stranger, in a glittering crimson mini dress initiating her to grind against her. She was a cute, asian with her hair twisted up atop her head in a loose knot and she was quite intoxicated. Her heart shaped face flushed from both exertion and booze. Smiling lazily at her, her exoticly slanted dark eyes glossy and euphoric.

Serenity shrugged and just rolls with it, raising her arms over her head. As the young woman grips her hips and starts grinding against her groin in some sexy, swaying maneuver. Serenity laughed and turns around, offering her, her ass instead. Twisting her arms over her head as she reciprocates the grind, by jutting her butt out against the woman's crotch and rolling their hips together. The frenetic beat falling away, as a remix of Imagine Dragon's 'Demons' floods the dance floor. Her sexy partner falls away into the slowing dancer's. As she opens her eyes, frozen amid the now shuffling bodies. When she spots Darien only feet away, towering over the crowd. Dressed in dark tones, of a crisp black button down shirt and faded black jeans. Her breath catches and her heart explodes in her chest at the magnitude of emotion in his stare. He's hurt and confused, anger simmers like molten heat in the depths of his piercing blue eyes.

Her spirit is soaring instantly at seeing him. Yet, he isn't dancing, he isn't even moving. Just watching her with his possessive, deep, dark blue eyes. That have always drawn her in and strengthened her with out words. A slow, knowing smile draws up upon his perfect lips. His eyes now glinting with bitter understanding, as he finally grabs her hips and

slams her up against his body. Ducking his head into the crook of her neck, he brushes her golden hair to the side and presses his lips close to her ear. His body more firmly against hers.

"You broke your promise." He whisper's heatedly against the shell of her ear, breathing her in so hard.

She feels her stomach clench in response.

His mouth brushing against the nape of her neck, grazing his lips against the soft, plaint skin there.

A shiver runs up her spine, as she trembles in his arms. Grabbing his biceps and smoothing her hands upward to clasp behind his neck. Her head spinning with regret and longing, as she follows his rolling hips with her own. The people dancing around them fall away, as the heat between them builds. His hands clasp her hips hard, and spins her away. Forcing her to relinquish her hold upon his neck. She cries out at the sudden loss of his body. Then he grabs her hips again and thrusts her arching back up against his chest. Grinding his crotch against her butt, as he squeezes her hips painfully.

She could feel the hot, rigid length of his arousal. Feeling how much he wanted her, needed her to reciprocate his feelings of all consuming love.

Shuttering with desire as he runs his tongue up her neck, splaying his large hand over her stomach as they moved languidly to the music. Serenity turned her head to the side, resting her head against his chest, as her arm snakes up and her hand curls behind his neck. Her wet crystal blue eyes locking with the stormy grey-blue depths of his. As he slowly lowered his face towards her, as if drawn to her like a magnet. Swallowing hard as the music and her arousal throbs through her. Knotting and twisting in her core, as she tilts her head to invite him down to smother her lips with his own. She could sense the beautiful, powerful aura's of love from both Darien, Daiki, Endymion and countless other men she had known, as he held her close. This time it did not frighten and confuse her. Knowing and understanding so much more then she did six weeks ago. She slowly smiled, trailing her other hand to drape possessively over his upon her stomach. The act of holding him solidifying the acceptance of what they had become and reassuring him that she was ready to love him in his entirety.

"I'm sorry...Mamoru." She whispered against his lips. Needing to taste him, to soothe his worry and reassuring him that she was finally ready to move forward with him and their destined future...together. As the music then moved into a slow sexy beat.

He pressed her against him more firmly, swaying his hips with her's. The hurt and suffocating anxiety she had cast upon him when she fled now lifting from his heart, as she used her endearment for him. She had accepted him, loved all of him body and soul. As her lips softly brushed against his seeking to heal all the wounds she had done, in her cowardice and anger. To cleanse him of all the pain she had caused.

Her spirit had been so broken, her heart filled with the poison of doubt and Beryl's cruel words. Her eyes that once shone without hope and had held no life, were now alive and glistening with tears. She had felt so worthless and shattered and she had ran, from him, from everything. Needing time to cope and renew her strength to keep fighting. The Monastery had done wonder's to heal her body and soul, she was unable to recover her memories of her first life. But Master Chou wasn't with out means to show her, her ancient past. Offering truth with the Sanskrit scrolls as to the final days of the gods. Helping her safely unlock her Genesis State yet again and training her to channel what connection she had with the Silver Crystal. She would never be able to use it to it's full powers with out sacrificing herself, but she knew the risks. Then he sent her on towards the mountains to finish what she started thousands of years ago...

As Darien responded to her kiss, his lips hungry and demanding her pulse increased. Excitement charging every cell of her body at his silent forgiveness. The fear of losing him, that had been eating away at her lifted, the desperate ache she had for him once consuming her turned into a soothing, welcoming warmth she wanted to hold onto forever.

Then as quickly as the passion ignited, he tore his lips away from hers. Taking a solid step back from her heated body, panting and overwhelmed he scrubbed a hand through his hair in frustration.

Serenity blinked and turned to face him, the absence of his body against hers left her cold and wanting.

"Mamoru...?" She questioned uncertainly.

He never said a word but reached out and grabbed her hand, dragging her from the dance floor.

She stumbled and skipped behind him as he wove them back into the shadows of the lounge area of the club. Finding a secluded leather booth in the farthest back corner of the cavernous club. They needed to talk and not get sidetracked by their passions.

As a mix of Colbie Calliat's 'I never told you' began. The slow sultry tones of her gorgeous voice pulsed over the club, sinking deep into Serenity's heart spurning her to finally come clean with all her feelings and intentions that she had been holding back for so long.

Without looking at her, he slipped into the booth, pulling her in behind him. He cut his eyes to hers, holding her firmly in his gaze. Heaving for breath in the same way her chest rose and fell sharply.

As angry as he was at her, for disappearing and now going on some suicide mission with out him. Looking into her worried, fear stricken eyes. Her nervous twisting of her finger's upon the ebony black table top. His need to protect and love her snapped inside of him like a rubber band. In one swift movement, he grabbed her waist and lifted her up, placing her onto his lap. The new found vitality he saw in her eyes was a marvel he was now revelling in.

Serenity straddled him, her breath soft and shaky. As she held his intense stare, seeing the pain mirrored back to her was like a knife in the gut. It twisted and bled inside of her very soul. She had hurt him so badly, the dread that it might be irreparable only made the wound in her heart deeper. She was desperate to fix it. Unable to control her need, her want for him. She crashed her mouth upon his, gripping the sides of head hard. Fisting his hair in a desperate attempt to take away all his pain with her love.

Pleading with him for forgiveness, her apologies desperate and breathless.

"I am so sorry, Mamo-chan. I can't take away the worry or the pain I've put you through. But I won't make excuses either. I was scared, hurt and everything that happened really messed with my head. I made poor choices. I should have not given up on us, I shouldn't have ran away. I am so, so, sorry. I love you, oh my god...I love you very much." She sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she choked out the words fiercely between panicked kisses.

Darien squeezed her thighs, needing to calm down. Instead she arched her chest against his, her nipples beaded hard with arousal, rubbing against him seductively. The thin cotton material of her flimsy, sleeveless peasant top, leaving nothing to the imagination. Visions of pulling the wide boat neck of lace that hung off her bare shoulder's further down to gaze hungrily at her cleavage raged in his mind. A groan ripped out of his throat as his own words of comfort were stolen by her need. Slipping his fingers beneath the skimpy black material of her skirt. He caressed the silky skin of her inner thigh, rubbing his palm upward towards the wet, heat between her legs.

She was insatiable with her reverent kisses, her tongue lapping into his mouth. Tasting him, savour every lash of his tongue against hers. She wanted him, needed him as much as she needed to breath. Coming to terms with who she truly was and the immensity of the epic love they shared. The lives they had shared loving each other. Thanks to her Master and his teachings, the memories of her lifetimes were once again sweet and precious. Their eternal love fresh and exhilarating, no longer a mess of overwhelming feelings and flashes of tragedy. These last six weeks had been hell, without him, she might as well have been dead!

Then 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls strummed out of the speaker's putting in perspective how he felt towards his princess, now grinding against his lap. How he had just wanted her to accept him, to love him, as he is now, after enduring so many lifetimes. To persevere through the tragic memories of all those endless battles they had fought to be together, to find that well of strength and courage to fight one last time. Her panting breaths echoed against his ear, as she nuzzled his neck. With one hand still massaging her waist, he pulled his other hand, once hidden under her skirts to fist a handful of her hair at the back of her head. As she began rolling her hips against him again, he enjoyed the beautiful moans she made at the friction his erection created against her sex. As she returned her now kiss swollen lips to his, her movements bold and pleading. Lashing her tongue inside his mouth, swirling and coaxing his building desires.

Darien fought against his every impulse to grab her and ravish her right here in the booth. She was being so aggressive and alluring it was down right painful to deny himself.

"Fuck..." He growled, as he pulled on her hair, forcefully drawing her away from him.

Tearing his lips away, he slowly returned his piercing stare at her. Heaving for breath and remorseful at the pained, rejected look in her eyes.

He steadied his resolve and slipped out of the booth, leaving her kneeling on the seat. She curled her finger's around the back of the bench. Watching him pace before the table with both hands firmly gripping his dark hair at the side of his head. As he gathered his muttled thoughts, he swore again.

Eyes wide and breathing hard, she tried to calm herself down ready to break right then and there at his refusal to love her back.

"Were you going to tell me..." He shot her a narrowed accusing glare.

Serenity swallowed hard, fear enveloping her heart as she realized he knew what she was up to here in Shanghai. Then meekly shook her head.

Darien laughed harshly, the bitter resentment of being left behind yet again like jagged glass upon the sound.

"Unreal...you are fucking unreal." He shook his head.

"Facing my mother is my responsibility." She shot back defiantly, slipping out of the booth herself now. To stand toe to toe with her furious Prince, swiping away tears from her face before thrusting her chin up petulantly.

"I will not allow you to enter into another unfair fight for my sake." She huffed.

"What kind of man would I be if I allowed you to just go off on your own into certain death?" He tossed back, with a smirk.

Rubbing his thumbs tenderly along her cheeks to clean away her tears and smudged tracks of mascara.

"A smart man!" She groused.

Darien merely shrugged, "I have never insinuated that I was smart..." He grinned, as her face heated up in a blush.

"Devastatingly Handsome, Debonair, and sexy as hell...that I would agree too." He finished, as she started to laugh.

Then Howie Day's Collide began to croon from the sound system, filling her heart with hope and love.

"So beautiful...even when your mad." He cupped her chin and tucked an errant strand of blonde hair that had fallen over her face back behind her ear. She never wore her hair in those buns and tails anymore...he missed it.

"I am not going to die tomorrow." She advised, pulling his hands away from her face. Needing to stay strong and not melt into his arms. His touch always disarmed her, leaving her wanting and needy.

"I am more prepared then I have ever been to face her." She finished, her tone strong and determined.

"Then we face her together...we are stronger together." He commanded, circling his arm out wide to encompass the crowded club beyond. "All of us."

Serenity turned, scanning the crowds. Finding Amy, Zac, Kane and Lita at a cafe table, all dressed for clubbing. Amy gave her a warm reassuring smile, while Lita gave her a curt nod, gripping Kane's hand tight on the table top. Serenity sniffled, the cold dread that had once occupied her thoughts over tomorrow began to thaw. Her blurry vision tracing the chaos of strobing lights and sound towards the bar. Finding Mina and Raye seating upon stools, each in sexy knee length dresses. The blonde bomb shell raised her glass of champagne with a confident grin. Raye offered her a more stoic nod her smile less brilliant but honest and soothing.

Serenity released a shaky breath..."You guys..." She gasped, overcome with remorse at not wanting them involved in the coming fight and a renewed sense of confidence that they would win if they stood together. She couldn't continue to make the same mistakes again and again, to win this war, she had fight against her own karma...

The platinum haired DJ began to spin the beats back up, igniting the dance floor back into the heated sea of frantic movements. She had a rounded, youthful face with keen aqua blue eyes slanted upward like a feline. Her hair was trimmed in a sharp angled bob style that framed her face. The tips of the strands dyed a bluish grey. Teased in a wild, sexy mess that gave her a punk styled look. Holding one bulky silver headphone to one ear, keeping track of the rpms as she shifted her hips back and forth to the beats. She gazed out over the darkened club, as the golden blonde was enveloped by her friends and her lover. She watched with warm satisfaction as he guided Serenity to a table, filled with her most treasured friends. His hand upon the arch of her back was tender. Her smile broadened as she watched Serenity sit down. Observing the warm expressions pass over her face. As she found peace and complete happiness in the midst of her most cherished friends around their cafe table. With a curt nod the DJ, glanced over her shoulder smiling fondly at two older people standing behind her in the shadows of the back stage.

"I think she is going to be ok now, Mother." She stated happily.

The long raven haired woman standing stoically behind her, nodded. Dressed in an elegant full length granite grey gown, her hair done up in Odango and tails. Soft brown eyes and regal features adorned her face, as she stared out over the frenetic crowds at her long lost princess. She had arrived to late to guide her, resulting in the last ten thousand years of hell. The guilt of that failure had gnawed at her ever since.

"I believe that finally, we can put to rest the old kingdom. She seems ready to bury her past and endure the pain and suffering of giving birth to her own kingdom." Luna stated.

"Lets just make sure she stays on course this time, Luna...no matter what. We do not want to revisit our failure at the Hyatt hotel again. " A gruff, smooth voice announced beside the dark haired woman.

Luna turned to confront a tall, slender man in a full white suit. With long platinum blonde hair that looked almost white and piercing blue eyes. Giving Luna a knowing smirk, that things back at the hotel hadn't followed according to plan. Back then there were still to many players, to many uncontrollable circumstances. But now even though things looked promising it could all get fucked up rather quickly.

"You worry far to much Artemis." Luna chidded, just as a sharp explosion of glass showered down upon the dance floor.

Diana killed the tunes, as her dancers covered their heads and fled the dance floor in droves, for the relative safety and obscurity of the lounge. A limp body dressed all in black leather and long flaming red hair, descended like a dead weight from the broken skylight above. Hitting the marble tile with a sickeningly boneless slap.

"Tiger!" Serenity leaped from Darien's lap, charging through the ring of aghast and horrified onlooker's. Scrambling to Tiger's side, her heart wrenching in panic. As she rolled him over, finding his face pale, beaten to a pulp and covered with blood. Hands trembling she glided them downward, as her heart felt like it had stopped beating. His chest was to still, her hands were shaking so badly, she was barely able to fumble his vest open. Gasping in horror as she found his chest had been sliced open viciously, by some ghoulishly deadly blade. The gash so deep and ragged it had torn his lungs apart. The deep wound looked like the work of a scythe. He had either died instantly or drowned in his own blood. The thought made her whole body run cold, dark festering revenge seethed inside of her.

She drew inward, searching for the tell tale heat of her connection to the Silver Crystal. It may be miles away but it was still synced to her soul. She could summon a fragment of it's great power and pull Tiger's soul back into his body. She wasn't about to let him go! They had had many long conversations back the Monastery. About life what lay beyond in death and the concept of rebirth. He had no memory of who he had been, this was his fresh start. He was excited to be given a second chance at life. He had dreams and ambitions he wanted to accomplish. He couldn't die now...

" _Don't...Serenity." Tiger's voice floated to her, as light and airy as the wind._

Serenity glanced up from his broken body, her eyes burning with tears as she found Tiger's spirit standing a few feet away. Dressed in a pure white Kimono, his ruggedly handsome face serene and glowing with a gloriously holy light. He looked at peace and happy, content even.

"Tiger..." She choked out. Then another spirit shimmered into existence beside him. A shorter young woman, with brilliant flame red hair. Dressed in the same kimono of the afterlife. Her face a softer more feminine version of Tiger's regal countenance.

For the first time Serenity saw the faint Korean resemblance to both of them. The woman moved fluidly to Tiger's side, taking his larger hand in hers. Offering Serenity a forgiving smile, as Tiger gripped her hand tight.

" _I do not want to come b ack, I am finally were I truly wish to b e." Tiger whispered b ack, gazing fondly down at the young_ _woman who looked b arely twenty years old. "I fulfilled my pledge to you, to your prince. I have protected you until my last b reath, b ut I finally rememb er who I am, my past and the reason I was involved with Dr. Tomoe."_

Serenity shuddered and cringed, as her gaze locked with the young woman. The guilt slamming into her chest was like a physical blow, as a cold realization dawn upon her. She was the woman that had been in Daiki's bed at the Institute so long ago...killed along with most of Caen when she lost control of her power's.

" _I was Chi-won and I was searching for my elder sister. Yu-ri, who had gone missing upon my tenth year. When I was_ _grown, I confronted Daiki Shinoda's grandfather ab out her disappearance. He had taken my sister, offering her a job to help pay my family's deb t to him. He led me to Souichi Tomoe, who confined me to a cell and experimented on me. Creating the b east that I b ecame. I am at peace now, Serenity. Let me go home with my sister, I have missed her so very much." Tiger pleaded._

The guilt of one of her greatest failures, sought to crush her as she stared at Yu-ri. Who merely gazed back at her peacefully. She had been one of thousands of innocence she had killed a lifetime ago. Serenity fought with the lump seeking to take her breath, struggling to swallow. As she urged the painful tears to dry.

" _I'll miss you...I am very sorry Yu-ri, you did not deserve to die. Caen wil urden I will carry forever, I will never b e_ _ab le to find redemption for the tragedy I caused." Serenity spoke meaningfully across the astral plane. So many of her powers had b een unlocked thanks to the teachings and meditations learned b ack at the Monastery. She would use them now to defeat her mother and protect all the people of this world. Even if she wasn't a Goddess anymore, she held the resilience and relentless determination of a human b eing instead. She would prevail...she had too._

 _Tiger nodded his thanks and then they turned from her, walking away and fading as the afterlife welcomed their human souls forever._

As Serenity slowly rose back up to her feet, finding several soldier's all in black flack rappelling down from the summit of the roof.

"Sere...I got this, I'll heal him." Darien's voice floated up to her as if speaking through a long tunnel.

"He's already dead." She narrowed her eyes, swearing vengeance upon the agents now unlatching their gear from the ropes. While their comrades who descended first covered them, by training their automatic rifles upon the cowering patrons of the club.

"His soul is gone, Mamoru. We have larger concerns now." She stated in a stern, commanding tone. Glaring at the soldier's now corralling the frightened young people of the club at gun point.

"Sere..." Darien questioned, his voice soft and uncertain. Slowly lowering his glowing hands from hovering over Tiger's body. He had never heard her sound so full of authority before. She was standing tall and commanding before him.

Her aura had changed dramaticly, the fragile state of mind that had plagued her being since Beryl's poison was no more. She stood strong before him, her blue eyes fierce and determined. A golden crescent flaring to life between her sculpted brows.

Her fists were flexing and releasing as she stood her ground, the thrum of power building to a crescendo from her small, slender body. She was able to tap into the full extent of her powers with out fear now.

Darien and the girls stood in awe as she called forth her true Genesis. Her face serene as the power built inside the frail human body that now contained it.

"These are innocent people and have nothing to do with our war. I suggest you lower your weapons and leave peacefully. If you force my hand. I shall exterminate you all, I will not allow you to kill indiscriminately any longer." She stated, forcefully.

"Such bravado...Serena." A cool, snide voice rumbled from the obscurity of the crowds. The sharp sound of flesh smacking against flesh, announcing pompously that he was clapping his hands for her.

Serenity narrowed her eyes in fury, as a familiar man swaggered out onto the empty dance floor. Dressed in black military fatigues and an armoured vest. His auto rifle hanging at the ready against his back. Dark red hair cut tight to his scalp, with cold calculating blue eyes full of malice and blame.

"Randy..." Darien breathed, slowly rising to his feet. Every cell in his body pulsing with the feral need to beat the bully of his youth to a bloody pulp. Sensing the man's threat towards his beloved in dark waves. He was once again transported back to high school, the feelings of raw hatred for that man seething inside of him. The need to defend his girl was intense, the heat of rage burning inside of his heart like an inferno.

"Been a long time, Dare." Randy never even turned his way, his icy stare fixed on Serenity.

"Not long enough." Darien growled, moving swiftly to stand in front of Serenity, staring Randy down with a lion's fierce and dominating glare.

"Since our little run in back in Tokyo, I've been reading up on you, Serena." His smile was slick, accusing and contrite. "You have quite a history of murder."

"That is all in the past, I am at peace with it. I can never redeem myself for what I have done, I will never ask forgiveness either. I have chosen to live each day, striving for a peaceful future and to use my power's to protect humanity. I have tamed my Genesis, Randy. I am no longer a threat." She countered.

"But you are still a murderer..." He raised his eyebrows, in obvious distain. "If you wish to protect us, to live as one of us. Then you are subject to the same laws." He shrugged. When Serenity never moved, he cleared his throat. "Are you above us, then?" he sneered, darting his eyes around the deathly silent club. His eyes lingering on each one of her girlfriends, who were in a battle stance confronting his soldier's. Darien's three remaining guards standing tall beside them, prepared to defend them until their last breath.

While Serenity was left with a moral struggle, her mind spinning at Randy's words.

"I had left the dance early that night..." He mused, crossing his arms behind his back. Casting her an accusing look. "I

have no idea what happened...but after talking to Elliot on the phone a couple days ago a few puzzle pieces fell into place. His nightmares, as vivid and terrifying as they are. Paint a very telling picture of what happened to Daniel."

Serenity's eyes filled with tears, her gut twisting with misery at the mention of her own personal devil. He had terrorized her, stalked her and raped her when she was at her weakest both emotionally and physically.

Elliot had been his dutiful cronie until the very end, forcing her hand to defend herself. To this day she did not see herself as murdering that bastard, his death was an act of self defence.

"His dreams speaks of an unholy apocalypse, of the student body turning into demons and feasting upon the flesh of fellow students. Of an epic battle of light and dark that ended up demolishing the whole high school..." Randy pierced her with his gaze, holding her firmly with a judicial superiority.

"He and Daniel had found you. Out on the football field..." his voice softened, with a trace of compassion and loathing at verbalizing the forced sexual act to come.

Darien was trembling with wrath at Randy's story, his fists clenching tight at his sides. A bloodlust curdling in the depths of his dark stormy eyes. Her rape was his ultimate failure, in this lifetime. He had been to weak to protect her and until his dieing breath he would loath himself for not being prepared enough. For being so arrogant and self absorbed in his youth, thinking he could protect her from anything. For his lack of fore thought. He had known how obsessed Daniel had been with his girl. He should have killed the bastard long before the dance. He had had plenty of chances to end him, he had just been a coward...not wanting to ruin his future if he got caught. That was what truly stayed his hand...he had to be honest with himself now. He had allowed mortal dukka to sway his resolve to defend her at all costs.

That admission of selfishness, killed him. He had professed to her back then that he would protect her no matter the cost. But it had just been blind bravado, he never had the guts to actually go through with his brave words. He had been such a fool...and she had paid the price for it.

Serenity lifted a silencing hand. "Don't Randy...I was there. I don't need you to verbalize what happened."

Randy clamped his mouth shut. Then raked a hand harshly through his short spiky hair with a huff. "Elliot is really screwed up, Sere. You broke him...he has been in a psych ward for most of this year after having a complete mental break. He tried to kill himself just last week and now he is under suicide watch in a hospital in Seattle. You should have left him dead as you did Daniel." He confessed, Elliot was just not strong enough to endure his own karma.

Serenity's eyes softened with remorse. She had wanted to give Elliot a second chance since in the end he had sought her forgiveness, proving he wasn't a complete monster. But his unconscious mind like all of her friends had retained the memories of that night, to haunt them. While her friends found hope, he was burdened with regret and overwhelming guilt for a horrifying act he couldn't remember doing. Her image imprinted upon his psych as an avenging angel, who was both judge, jury and executioner within his worst nightmares. Plaguing his sleep, tormenting his waking thoughts until he had finally gone insane.

This was just another burden upon her heart, that she would carry like a weight for the rest of her life. But she had learned how to cope, to not allow the regret to drag her down like before. She couldn't change the choices she had made and the repercussions because of them. Only move forward with the intention of fixing what she could now and striving to use her powers to create a brighter future for all humanity.

That is what she focused upon as Randy continued to verbally put her, in her place.

"Genesis Born..." He sneered, casting his vengeful gaze over to Darien and the girls. Pausing on each one, scorching them with the rawness of his hatred. "I eagerly joined the agency after seeing first hand the atrocities you monsters are capable of." He laughed darkly, shaking his head. "I left right out of high school, didn't even stick around for the summer. I never had much of a connection to that place anyway. Joined the army and never looked back..." He drew quiet, his eyes growing dull as his thoughts fell back upon the memories that still tortured him. That had spurned him to become the zealot he was now.

He stared down at his left hand, curling and stretching, the ghost of her final touch still throbbing against his skin even years later.

"She was everything to me..." He whispered brokenly. "and a monster like you took her away from me!" He raged. His last memory of his true love flashing in his mind like a molten brand. A sweet, tender faced woman, with warm doe brown eyes and dark hair, curly and full. Falling over her shoulder's in a water fall as majestic as the night sky. Her eyes twinkling with delight, and desire as she gazed up at him. She had been perfect, able to tame his moods and make him laugh...those honest full belly laughs that only truly happy people could produce. Offering him a happiness he had never

experienced in his whole life until meeting her. That satisfaction with life ending the day she died.

"Her name was Katherine...Private Katherine Cooper. She was in my boot camp and I was lucky enough to have her in my squad when we were sent to help quell the fighting in Serbia. By the time we got there, millions of refugee's had fled into Croatia and we ended up being glorified border guards instead." His smile was thin and bitter. "I would get so frustrated having to babysit the refugee camp, when I felt we could be doing more good fighting the insurgence and pushing them out of the country. I wanted to free these poor people, who had lost everything. Kat would always set me straight, make me see the good that we were doing right here. Helping these people find a sense of safety and normalcy when their country was shattering around them. You see, she was my conscience, with out her. I have no one to push me to want to be a better person. Instead I find my solace in seeking my vengeance." He snarled briefly, regaining his composure quickly. "She gave me hope and a reason to keep fighting, even when it seemed we were making absolutely no difference." He growled, his hands fisting tight, knuckles white with strain.

Serenity's eyes were grim, the lump growing in her throat at his pain, choking her voice. Forcing her to remain silent as he finished his sad tale.

"Then one of you bastards showed up during a routine patrol...he was just a fucking kid!" He shouted. "Kathrine and I were heading back to camp on foot. After finding a small group of children in the scrub grass a few miles outside of camp. Most of the poor soul's who showed up had a few of their belongings strapped to their backs. Seeing lives so devastated like that made me want to seek revenge, to eradicate every rebel soldier who would allow such injustices to happen to innocent people. This group though was even more beaten down, they had nothing but the rags they called

clothes on their backs and dead eyes...usually the survivors looked haunted. These kids were like the walking dead...dirty, smelled like rot. So starved and dehydrated they could barely put one foot in front of the other. " Randy closed his eyes, a few tears leaking out to fall in lonely tracks down the scuff of his jaw. "He ascended like a damn terrorist bomb, his body flashed and turned to pure light. The force of his power's consuming him, shot out if him faster then I could react. Vaporizing anyone walking directly before or behind him. She only had time to look back at me, reach out and

grasp my hand. Before she was vaporized...while I was lucky..." He snarled bitterly. "I was walking just off to the side of that little asshole, got blown backwards instead.

Along with a couple other survivors near the end of the group. " He took

a painful broken breath, "You are not supposed to exist with us. " He seethed, spit shooting like bullets through clenched teeth. "You are like a cancer, infecting all around you. Spreading and devouring all the good and healthy parts of our

world!" He raged, piercing Serenity with the intensity of his wrath through his eyes. "It was then I knew my true purpose in this life, I would save my people. By killing every last one of you fucker's and all the poor humans you infect!" He swung his rifle off his back in one fluid movement training it on Serenity.

Her eyes went wide in alarm, as the world around her seemed to slow. Randy was so full of blind rage, he never even realized that in his attempt to avenge his beloved he had become the very monster he once fought against with her.

The crowds screamed and fled in panic towards the front doors, as bullets rained down over the club.

With the strobe lights flashing, casting the club in sudden darkness and then blinding ones eyes in a sudden brilliance. Creating a surreality of sorts that was leaving Serenity feeling off balance, as she grasped onto the powerful riptide of her Genesis, the link she held to the Silver Crystal. Her fierce will to control the immensity of that power keeping her from drowning under its immense pull.

"I will not allow you to kill anymore innocent people!" She screamed, as a silver light pulsed out from her body. Knocking the closest soldier's off their feet, sending their bullets wide and into the walls.

A low hum began to drone through out the club as all the electricity was syphoned away. The strobe lights popped one by one, glass shattering and falling like rain upon the dance floor. The hum grew louder as more of the electrical current was syphoned away from every light in the club. Each one sputtered then died, casting the club into total darkness. The innocent clubbers once hushed by the eerie hum now screamed in terror as total darkness enveloped them.

Then the fierce crackling and sharp sting of wild light illuminated the club. Lightening arced over the dance floor, sending a few solider's scrambling for cover behind leather booths. As it grounded into the edge of the dance floor, carving a huge gouge out of the black tile. Sending chunks of cement and fluff into the air, from nearby chairs and booths that got blown up by its passing.

Kane was moving with a boxer's grace through several soldier's, dressed in faded jeans, a wine colored button down shirt and his leather duster. His powerful arms snapping and recoiling as he cast out what was called punches in bunches. Nailing the slower, stunned agents in the head, ribs and stomach. Taking them down like living speed bags. Knocking their rifles out of their hands with round house kicks as they crumpled unconscious at his feet.

Serenity's feet lost traction with the floor, as two majestic's wings of light unfurled from her back. Her power increasing as

the golden crescent once flickering, began to glow prominently upon her brow. Her blue eyes now shining with an immortal silver light deep within their depths. She was on the knifes edge now, drawing so much of her crystal's power that if she didn't remain focused it would devour her. Then the wild release of that power after her body was absorbed would kill everyone here in Shanghai.

A raging current of fire lashed around the front edge of the lounge, cutting off the fleeing patrons from the Soldier's hunting them down. Obscuring their shots with a wall of flames, the deadly screams and howls of panic drowned out by the roar of the inferno now blocking the Soldier's path. Preventing their forward assault instantly.

In the next second a whip made of pure sunlight snapped around the soldier's legs, knocking them even further back from the fleeing crowds. While Hollywood disarmed the remaining agents, Mina had missed. Dressed in a white slacks and a pale blue button down shirt. He seemed to float like a spirit amid the chaos With swift blindingly quick jiu-jitsu maneuver's. His feet snapping, arms and body twisting as he forced the soldier's into submission. Sending their rifles clattering away into the darkness of the club.

Serenity's body flashed, as if a star had gone nova from deep inside her body. Her civilian clothes fading away, replaced by a flowing silk and satin white dress. The skirts snapping against her bare ankles, her hair once more done up in it's Odango's and Tails. Elegant barrettes of pearls, and darts resembling feathers adorned her head, just above her heart shaped bangs. The bodice of the gown hugging her sides, golden crescents propping up her modest cleavage. Florets adorned her lower arms, leaving her slender well toned shoulder's bare. A simple bracelet of pearls hung from her thin wrist along with a matching anklet on her left foot.

Randy trained his rifle upon Serenity, his face set in stone. Impassive and utterly with out emotion as he aimed dead centre upon her chest. Their history together as kids meant absolutely nothing, the fact that she was still human, powers or not was circumstantial. She was a monster in his eyes and in need of culling. His conscience soothed by a righteous belief that he was purging impurities from the human race. Saving his people from a world wide epidemic.

As his finger squeezed upon the trigger to end her life, Darien's rage filled countenance disappeared from her side.

The sprinkler system came to life, high over head within the metal beams, raining down upon the battle. Amy raised her hands above her head, calling the water into her palms. Dressed in a sparkling dark blue, sleeveless mini dress. She could move as fluidly as water itself. Redirecting all the water she had absorbed like twin cannons towards the metal beams over head. Three screams echoed out over the chaos below. As the last surviving sisters, crashed onto the dance floor. Soaking wet and stunned by the fall. Zac sprinted across the wet, slippery floor. Still not fully healed, he lumbered on a unbalanced stride. Dressed in faded jeans and a pale green polo top. His fashion sense having toned down a lot since meeting Amy. He had wanted to blend in, come off a unassuming so that when he was needed to protect her. He would take her enemies by surprise. He loomed over the sisters, cracking the simple metal head of his cane across each of their temples before they could come to their senses. Knocking each one unconscious before they could use their malicious powers against them.

Randy had no time to react, Darien had been beside the hovering angel, Serena had become. Then he was gone only to reappear a second later directly in front of him. Randy sucked in a sharp breath of surprise before Darien's huge fist slammed full force into his jaw. The power behind the hit, jolting him viciously. Knocking him back a couple steps, stumbling and unbalanced. The impact so brutal he felt he had just been thrown by a truck. Randy grunted and was soon labouring for air, his rifle now pointed towards the dance floor. His arms hanging limply at this side, legs trembling with the strain of staying up right. Dizzy and feeling like he needed to throw up. He knew Darien had just given him a concussion with one punch...

"You are nothing but a mindless cronie, Krisholm!" Darien seethed. "Needing to take order's from some dictator to feel powerful. It was Daniel first, then the army now your just a hired killer for another Genesis Born. Beryl was just Queen Selene's flunky! Those worldwide attacks all those innocent people that were slaughtered! They were killed by other agents on Beryl's orders! She wanted to make sure all who might oppose her Sovereign's reign are dealt with before she even makes herself known."

Randy paled, the thought that he and his men had been pawns. Used by another monster he had sworn to purge from his planet. Turned his stomach and clenched his heart with doubt and betrayal.

"Your lying!" Was all he could do, to save his mind from insanity. To deny every word Darien had spoken, and try to hide behind his mask righteousness. Other wise he would have to deal with the fact he and his men had committed mass murder again and again for a Genesis Born's evil scheme.

"You might think you work as a part of a secret organization for the UN, that the targets you have been given. Were Genesis Born terrorist cells, you were sent to exterminate but it's just a rouse. The God Queen Serenity, has been playing with us humans here on earth like chess pieces. For the last ten thousand years!" Darien snapped his hand out and gripped Randy around the throat lifting him up off his feet.

"Your men and all the units like yours just exterminated any opposition she might have had to conquer us! She wants her kingdom back! Nothing is beneath her at this point, she has sent the whole world into chaos thanks your little terrorist army and those world wide massacres. You have crippled this planets means to defend itself. Now all she has to do is swoop in with her army of Genesis Born and clean up the mess the agency has made. The world powers stand no chance against her now, she has now become the most powerful force on the planet." Darien snarled into Randy's face.

"Now, now boys...no need for this to get to out of hand." A sweet melodic voice floated through the smokey, torn up club. As a young girl barely fourteen year old, descended from the broken skylight above. Dressed in a long black gown the matched Serenity's, her strawberry blonde hair done up to match. Her crescents on the bodice were silver along with her barrettes. Instead of pearls upon her wrist and ankle, there was oval obsidian stones. Graceful dark lavender wings the colour of twilight were spread wide from her back as she fluttered to the ground. The crescent of her goddess heritage burned upon her brow the same as Serenity, yet it was a deep, dark vortex of pure obsidian and turned downward.

As her toes touched down upon the dusty floor, her sneering smile towards her counterpart was scathing.

"Rini..." Serenity breathed, her heart frozen and refusing to beat. Darien and the girls had deflected her question as to Rini's where abouts when she had joined them at the table. Turning the topic away from the absent teen towards the coming trek into the mountains tomorrow, instead. Now she knew why they had been avoiding answering her. Had they known what had happened to poor Rini? Or was this all a surprise for everyone?

"Our mother was kind enough to grant me more power and awaken me." She smiled demurely, taking Serenity's measure in long, lazy sweeps of her now cold silver eyes. Surmising for herself how much of the real Princess of the Moon resided inside her soul.

"It is so unfortunate that it has come to this." She sighed, dramaticly. Scanning her eyes over the torn up club, falling still on each of the scowling girls and then finally drawing up to Darien. Who had released Randy to the floor and was slowly backing up to Serenity's side.

"Mother has sent me to clean up the last of your mess, before I am to take my proper place at her side."

Rini's statement was cold and malicious. Her eyes burning into Serenity with resentment and loathing.

"It looks like she has rejected you yet again, choosing me instead to wield the Silver Crystal?" She crooned, the fake sympathy dripping off her lips like venom. Her laugher to follow was cold and jagged.

This was not Rini! Serenity's mind screamed, this twisted, vengeful soul was not her beloved Rini. She would never be so cold towards her.

"You can't harness it power's Rini...not with out training and a great deal of the princess's soul inside your body?" Serenity pleaded, as Rini's eyes flashed with indignation.

"We are both just fragments of her...shall we see who has the larger piece of the Moon Princess's soul?" Rini challenged, curling her finger towards Darien. Beckoning him over to her, as her eyes flashed with power.

Darien froze in mid step toward Serenity, his face snapping to the side to face Rini. His eyes now locked in a trance with the teens. His body trembling under her power, as he fought to resist her seductive voice entering his mind.

"I lost my prince because of you. I feel it is only fair that you give me yours in recompense." She smiled sweetly.

"NO!" Serenity screamed, as Darien made his first shaky step towards the imposter. Who seemed able to call upon a greater portion of the Silver Crystal's powers. Squeezing her eyes shut tight, Serenity fought against the urge to fight back. Rini was precious to her, so much like a little sister, to see her so twisted, so corrupted like this, it was killing her.

"He is as much my beloved Endymion as he is your's?" Rini quipped, urging more of her Genesis powers into his mind. Darien grit his teeth and fought her with everything he had, his face turning red with the effort to resist her. Pulse pounding in his veins as he feet shuffled forward hesitantly, unable to fight her incredible pull for long.

Serenity watched in horror as her Mamoru's once struggling stride turned strong and purposeful. His blue eyes now blank and unseeing, moving like a puppet to Rini's side. Who quickly curled her hand into his black button down shirt and pulled him into her. Snaking her arm behind his neck, she guided him down towards her lips.

"You belong to me now, I will never let anyone interfere in the resurrection of my mother's kingdom." She smiled against his lips for a moment before kissing him possessively.

Serenity's stomach turned sickeningly at the sight, she had been unwilling to push her own will upon her true love. To frightened that it would break his fragile mind, to have two Genesis Born fighting inside his psyche. So she had let Rini have him with out a fight...

The sight of him kissing her little sister so aggressively now, dominating her mouth like he had with her's earlier. Twisted her up inside, yet she continued to stand like carved stone watching her world spin out of control. She just couldn't hurt Rini...

"Let him go!" A harsh shout rebounded next to her. She spun in alarm to find Jupiter standing in an aggressive stance, her arms crackling with lightening ready to be released. All reasonable thought vacant in the wrath burning within her emerald green eyes.

She was lost to her fury, her fear of losing Darien for good this time. He was like an older brother, family...he had always been there for her when she needed support. When Andrew had left her lost and confused. As to how everything had gone so wrong in a relationship she thought was forever. He had dropped his scheduled fights in Las Vegas and came rushing to her emotional rescue. Between him and the girls, she was able to pull herself out of that deep, dark, depression and move on, somewhat. She owed Darien her life, she would have never had the strength to pull herself up and out of that emotional pit of despair and hopelessness with out his support. He had eventually led her to Kane, the one man she knew understood her better then anyone else. She finally had a promising future filled with love. She would never let that little punk just waltz away with him and destroy his chance to have the same happiness with Sere. The fury building inside to end Rini perminately, was like a rumbling under her skin, rebounding like a living bomb deep inside the very core of her. The raw need to release the massive amount of energy she had been storing, burning her skin and narrowing her thoughts to a pin point focus. That was Rini's smug satisfied smile, as she pulled away from Darien's lips.

Kane charged up behind her, wrapping his arms around her chest and pinning her own arms down at her sides.

"You can't hurt her..." He whispered softly into her ear. His voice calm and soothing, as he talked her down from her all consuming rage. "Serenity would never allow you to harm that little girl. She means as much to her, as Darien means to you. You would never forgive yourself if you killed her, Serenity would never be able to move past the guilt of one of her best friends killing another person so dear to her." In a matter of moments Kane had accessed the situation and all the emotional consequences and thrust himself once more in the line of fire. Seeking to calm her raging passion, loyalty and need to protect the ones she loved with the gentle balm of reason.

Jupiter cringed, holding back her lightening at the cost of her own heart. She couldn't watch Darien betray Sere, couldn't endure the hurt and frustration that was now painted across her best friends face.

Rini's gleeful laughter at Serenity's expense was jagged and harsh cutting like a knife.

"I command as much if not more of the Silver Crystals loyalty then you do..." Rini cackled, fawning over Darien's chest with slippery possessing hands. While he merely stood stiff and unresponsive to her touch. Staring blankly over her shoulder, his eyes lifeless and dead.

"What did you do to him..." Serenity wept brokenly, taking that first uncertain step forward. Needing to save him, needing to heal Rini from the darkness she felt was consuming her soul.

Rini merely smiled maliciously. Wrapping her deep lavender wings around them both, in a cocoon of feathers. Then in a flash of silver light they were both gone. Only her final words hung in the air as she departed with her prize.

"If you survive the night...I shall be waiting along with mother at the Celestial Temple. There we shall end this war...one way or another. "

With her voice still echoing through time and space, when more soldier's rappelled into the destroyed club. As Randy gathered himself back to his feet, clearing his throat of humiliation. He snatched his rifle from the ground, and commanded his men in a malicious shout.

"Exterminate them all!"

Bullets rained down upon them in deadly waves, zinging and screaming around them. The girls and Zac ducked for cover behind soft black leather booths, while Hollywood hurtled behind the glossy counter of the bar. Leaving Serenity, Jupiter and Kane alone on the dance floor and completely with out cover.

Jupiter screamed her fury, her voice was piercing. Long and drawn out. The raw unearthly sound that emanated from her

throat was disturbing. It echoed through the club like the warning rumble of a coming storm. A storm so intense, so violent in it's magnitude. That it held the power and force to wipe away everything in its path. As she made a split second decision to save everyone she loved at all cost. Shaking Kane's hold now slackened due to his surprise. He fell back helplessly as she channeled the very core of her Genesis.

 _Reality fell away as her conscious mind was drawn into a trance. Her compassion and empathy for others pulled inward and trapped b ehind a prison of her own choosing. Her existence now fuelled only b y hatred, rage and a fierce need to protect everyone she loved. Inexplicab ly, this anger felt good? It wrapped around her like the arms of a seductive lover. Always she had sought control over her intense emotions, b ut this time she had finally just let go...let it all go. She offered all of herself like a sacrifice to the Storm that raged inside her soul. Allowing the true, wild and raw destructive power of her Genesis State to devour her._

 _She b ecame the very emb odiment of pure wrath. A terrifying spectre to b ehold. Hovering over the dance floor with lightening crackling over every inch of her b ody. Her b runette hair snapping and twisting in the b uilding energy field now thrumming from the very center of her b ody._

 _From deep within her soul, an awakening of power b eyond her control surged to life. Lightening rushed like waves threw every nerve of her frail b ody. Thunder roared from her unholy screams, as she craned her head b ack. Calling down the Storm to smite everyone who challenged her! The energy b uilt and reb ounded inside of her. The pain of containing such violent power was a relentless torture upon her b ody and mind. It grew unchecked, until the unyielding pressure of it sought to tear her b ody apart. Her eyes b urned pure white with the yet unleashed energy she was containing._

 _Her rage fed on the force now surging threw her, in return her Genesis grew out of control. Together the twin storms of her emotions and her power spiralled through her. Until she felt like a helpless b ystander, b eing dragged along. It was a frightening and overpoweringly free sensation...losing all control...b ut it b ordered very close to violation. As if someone else had taken control of her b ody, forcing her to commit unspeakab le acts of death and destruction. She b ecame fearful of the magnitude of her Genesis. The vengeful perceptions of her own anger, that twisted and tantalized her. Promising that when she released this great power her friends would b e safe..._

 _The fact that all those innocent people cowering in the corners of the club or near the door would b e caught in the fury of her storm as well, no longer mattered. That apathy towards strangers b ewitched her reason. As the intensity of her emotions rushed heedless of the needs of all others, b esides her one, true goal._

 _Her anger grew, seizing her soul completely. Like a leaf trapped in a ragging river, she was forced along its violent path. Struggling to gain any sort of purchase, frantic to find a way to escape, to control the rage. She was on the b rink of panic, of total ab andon._

 _Her world turned white...and then there was nothing left...not even herself._


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

(I was born very wealthy, part of that one percent that was untouchable by average society. But wealth and privilege could not buy me love, or friendship or even a sense of belonging. I have never really fit in anywhere, at least not for long. You could call me an Immortal Outsider, I guess. If it wasn't my size making me stand out, it was my fierce personality. I was always taller, stronger, and naturally athletic, far more agile then my peers. Making even the most proficient athletes in my class feel inferior. I have always been driven, never satisfied with the world around me. I tended to be far more 'passionate' about things, then my classmates. Easy to anger and always filled with a sense of justice other's could not accept. I never meant to make people hate me and never understood why I was shunned and left out by my classmates. Not understanding that I made people jealous or just intimidated them, unintentionally of course. I felt hurt and misunderstood by even my teachers. I found making enemies was far easier for me then making friends. So by the fifth grade I had given up on being friendly and became what everyone expected me to be.

A thug. But I wasn't some angry, defiant criminal. Out to destroy school property, get into fights or steal from the students at least not at this point.

I was what you would call an Alpha bully who kept the other bullies in line. My grandfather, who was a stern, unyielding man of great moral character. Had been a navy gunner in WWII,had instilled in me a moral code. One that was so ingrained in my character it seemed to define who I was. That because I was bigger, stronger and more capable to defend others. Then it was my duty to do so. So I used my gifts to protect the weaker students in my school, by becoming the most feared person in my school. It wasn't long before I had a reputation as a trouble maker in the most prestigious private school in New York, Horace Mann Elementary.

No one messed with me, so I felt alone in every sense of the word. But it wouldn't be long until I understood the concept of being alone far more intimately. I lost the only people who had ever accepted me. The ones I knew with out a doubt loved me despite my many faults. Half way through grade six, my parents were killed. Caught up in a robbery gone wrong out in the Bronx, while looking at new realistate acquisitions. My parents made their money by buying out contemned properties and refurbishing them into affordable condos. Trying to improve the troubled neighbourhoods and offer families, safe well built homes to raise their kids in. So they would take chances going into less then safe area's of the city. It was only a matter of time before their luck ran out.

While my grandfather was the CEO of a multi-billion dollar, international company. He approved of my parents commitment to improve the city and help the poor. But he did not like the risks they took to personally over see their refurbishing projects. When they were killed, he wasn't surprised but it still tore his heart out. My father was on the board of executives and when he died, I was to take his place in my grandfather company when I was grown. My grandfather took me in and made an honest attempt to care for me. To focus my drive and mold me into the perfect successor. My life was quickly over scheduled with all manner of activities. Trying to make me more well rounded, more desirable to the elite that surrounded my grandfather. I wanted none of it!

And he was far to busy to raise a child and I was far to angry to let him love me. I lashed out in every way a young girl could at a world I felt never cared about me. I made a game of ditching my driver, who's job was to get me home from school each day. I started to hang out with a very bad crowd instead. Young adults so full of rage and messed up in the head as I was. Since I was so tall and mature looking I fit in fine with people five or six years my senior. They never questioned my age and I never told them how young I was. We would wander the city to all hours of night. Seeking out any means to avoid reality and just be numb. I started stealing small stuff, from stores and unlocked cars. Started drinking and smoking, everything from cigarettes to herb. Thankfully I still had enough good sense to avoid the hard drugs.

But I still became an unruly, uncontrollable mess!

My attitude became apathetic to school and I barely showed up most days. I was far happier running wild in the streets to all hours of the night. Soon I just stopped going home to my grandfather, unwilling to face him and his disappointment. I preferred to live out there, were there were no rules and no expectations. Where I could forget everything and just wallow in my unjust life. I lasted two weeks before the cops caught me and the delinquents I was currently running with, in a stollen Mercedes. Joy riding at high speeds in Central Park at three am! I was barely twelve years old and at the wheel... Yeah I was totally out of control.

High as a frick'en kite and in possession of maharaja. So the cops threw me in the tank for the night. It was later when I had come down that I found out all the other charges currently against me.

My so called friends who were more then just a few years older then me. Had planned far more then a joyride that night.

They had several bags of cocaine and guns stashed in a duffle bag in the trunk.

So now I was up on drug trafficking and weapons charges. As well as driving with out a license and being under the influence of drugs. I was going be sent away to juvy for a very, very, very long time.

I was fucked...I had just flushed my future right down the toilet in one night of stupidity.

Thankfully my grandfather and his money, came to my rescue.

I was given a second chance..one I felt I did not deserve. But I promised to earn my redemption and my grandfather approval from now on.

Shamed and sent away, he hired an ex-cop to keep me in line. I was sent as far away as my grandfather could send me. With some grim faced, buzzed cut totting man who resembled a jail guard in every sense of the word. He did not put up with my smart assery, as he stated it. Putting me in my place verbally and physically when he felt I was out of line. I hated him! But he was exactly what I needed to get my head on straight again.

We ended up sharing an apartment in some small town in one of the upper prairie states that bordered Canada. He enrolled me into the local elementary and acted as my Guardian until I was old enough, and responsible enough, to take care of myself.

This was a fresh start and I intended to make the best of it. I would come to realize in time that it was more then fate that had sent me there. I found true friendship for the very first time and came to understand love in the truest sense. I was grateful and profoundly lucky to have been given those precious years with Serena and the girls. When faced with a woman, a foe so powerful, so determined to obliterate my best friend and all who stood in her way. I faced death head on, accepted with out blinking my own mortality. And I protected each of them with my very last breath and when I was killed. I felt no regret...just a sense of loss. That I had not accomplished what I had wanted to achieve most in this life.

To destroy that great evil that threatened my most precious person...

My truest friend, my one and only

Princess...)

 _Jupiter reigned in her mighty war horse, to a slow walk. Her great stallion had a thick coat of dark b rown fur, his b lack maine and tail b raided into tight knots. Tied with thick hide rope and b eaded with topaz stones. A token of good luck and fortune for all great war lords of the planet Jupiter. He was b red for b attle, with a b road chest and powerful legs. His hooves protected b y tufts of b lack hair that matched his maine. His dark b rown eyes were keen and always aware of his surroundings. He huffed and shook his head roughly when his master commanded him to halt upon the crest of a grassy b luff. She signalled with an over head fist for her scouting party to draw forward cautiously. She had left the b ulk of her army several miles b ehind. For they were a huge, lumb ering mass of calvary, foot soldiers and stock wagons and lacked the finesse a smaller party of soldiers possessed. She wanted to make sure the way ahead was clear and that the Elysian's main supply road to the Golden Palace threw the Green Wood was unb locked. Endymion was a cunning strategist, he would not make the Moon Queen's advancement upon his Castle easy. She expected some sort of resistance from the earth kingdom and wanted it dealt with promptly. She hadn't the luxury or time for diplomacy. She needed to reclaim her princess quickly and with out much mortal b lood shed, she hoped._

 _Her men were dressed in full silver plate mail of the Moon. While her dark plate was accented b y her royal crests of oak leaves. Etched into her b road shoulder guards and emb lazoned like a b rand upon the elegantly folded metal of her_

 _b reast piece. Her helm was shaped like a predatory eagle, her face guard protruding like a razor sharp b eak. The sides of her helmet flared outward like the b lades of mighty wings. Her piercing green eyes stared out from b eneath the b old cowl with a warrior's dispassionate gaze. In one swift movement she pulled the helm from her head and placed it upon the pommel of her saddle. Wanting an unob scured view of the land ahead, a land her queen wished for her conquer. She was a stunningly, b eautiful woman. The curves of her face was b oth strong and gentle at the same time. Her aura was regal, an immortal warrior princess who sought justice and the protection of all b eings weaker then herself. Her neck long and slender with b ronzed skin that only amplified the ferocity of her b rilliant green eyes. Her long b runette hair tumb led in waves down her b ack, with slender b raid's similar to her mounts interwoven within the wild strands._

 _The scorched meadow grass b efore her was high and rather b rittle now that it was the peak of summer._

 _Mars and her own army lay to the east and could easily set the earth kingdom ab laze. Her inferno would devour the land and b urn the forests to ash in a matter of hours. While Venus and her army lay to the west, laying in wait for the King of Elysian and his Generals if they sought to escape the Moon Queen's wrath. He had refused to return her daughter, when the Queen had demanded of it. Stating that he had granted her sanctuary. That b y his oath and his honour he would protect her from everything and everyone who wished to harm her. Even the Gods themselves._

 _So in a matter of a day, the earth had proclaimed war against the whole of the Silver Millennium._

 _Mercury was missing, it was rumoured she was wandering the outer fringes of the planets. Inciting reb ellion b y seeking the aid of the outer Guardians._

 _It wasn't Jupiter's nature to ponder the complexity of royal politics, or question the commands of her Queen. But ever since that ancient wise man had darkened the Moon Palace's halls a year ago, a strange paranoia had b loomed inside the queens heart. She was b ecoming more fearful and unstab le b y the day. Seeing b etrayal and reb ellions lurking in every corner of her kingdom._

 _The inner planets that were once rife with civil unrest were now in utter turmoil. Her own kingdom was unravelling all around her. With the threat of the Dark Moon now b earing down upon them from b eyond the outer planets. Thanks to Princess Serenity's timely ab andonment of her duty to wed King Demande. The Queens' treaty with the Dark Moon was null and void. Her plans to quell the inner planets reb ellion with the aid of the Dark Moon's power was no longer an option. Demande had b een insulted, his honour as a man, as a ruler had b een tarnished with Serenity's rejection. He wanted retrib ution and was rallying his own troops to take the Moon Palace and Selene's throne. After that he promised to slaughter the people of Elysian and put their kings head upon a pike._

 _Her chest tightened with b oth rage and loathing at the very though to Demande. Her hatred of him firing relentlessly through her b rain. She wanted nothing more then to slaughter that vile king and all his guards. But her Queen stayed her hand and forced her to quell her thirst for violence._

 _Demande had given Queen Selene two days to retrieve her daughter and present her b efore his own court for judgement. If she could hand over her daughter to him b y that time he would not unleash the full power of the Dark Crystal upon the Moon. Jupiter did not understand why she wouldn't just fight b ack and threaten the pompous king with the full might of her own Silver Crystal? Surely the Imperium Crystal had more strength then his puny Dark crystal? She didn't trust her queen unconditionally anymore and had sought a promise from the Queen. That she would not just give her daughter over to that tyrannical king. Queen Selene had promised, she wasn't going to hand Serenity to Demande. But she needed her as a token for peace. It was enough for Jupiter and the remaining two guardian's to aid the Queen one last time. If she failed to protect her own daughter this time, they were prepared to defend their princess even against their own sovereign._

 _She heaved a great sigh and craned her head upward to the full moon now rising over the tree tops of the great green wood sprawling in the distance. The night wind whistled through her long b runette hair, casting it over her shoulder's in tumb ling waves. She sensed a hesitancy in her mount, one she shared at the mission ahead. Her queen had pitted her against her one true love, the heavenly king of the West. It had b een just over year since their princess b egan her liaisons with the Prince of the Earth. It fell upon them, her four Guardian Deities to track her down and b ring her b ack to the moon. During that time each of them had fallen for the Elysian Prince's roughishly handsome Generals. She had_

 _b een no exception, unab le to defend herself against Nephrite's b old, yet charming advances. He had claimed her heart as easily as he had claimed her b ody months ago._

 _Now she was here to demand Serenity's return, b y force if necessary. The thought of going into comb at against Nephrite was tearing her apart. Her neck guard felt to confining, constricting her b reath. The weight of her chest plate was far to heavy. She could b arely take in air, so overwhelmed with the magnitude of her b etrayal to her b eloved. As Silent tears slipped down her cheeks, unab le to contain the emotional suffering raging within her heart. She was trapped as was her fellow Guardian's b etween upholding their duty to Queen Selene, or b etraying their own oaths of fealty for love? She sucked in one deep b reath after another, needing to reclaim her composure. She did not need her men to see such weakness just b efore comb at._

 _As the tortured pain of what she was ab out to do receded, she glanced down at her mounts slowly b owing head, he was exhausted. They had b een riding hard, towards the inner kingdoms. Ever since leaving the portal at Selene's earthly temple, atop the great mountain of Song. The ferocity in Queen's Selene's command to retrieve her daughter, and the time constraints of meeting King Demande's demands. Was spurning them all at a ridiculous pace to reach the Gates of the Golden Palace. Twenty soldier's in Silver regalia b roke from the scouting parties main ranks and rushed up the hill towards Jupiter. Reigning in their mounts as they came ab reast of the Guardian of Protection._

 _Jupiter never turned, knowing the countless ranks of her main army swelled over the valley miles b ehind her. The Queen_

 _had sent the full strength of her armies to earth, intending to intimidate Endymion b y sheer numb ers. If he refused her demands, they were to crush his kingdom and b urn it away to ash. It was the height of b lasphemy to defy the Gods!_

 _Instead she remained staring ahead, her eyes scanning the dips and swales of the wide meadows. Listening to the clamour of the over heated stallions coming to a halt b eside her. Her men were muttering b itterly amongst themselves, each b reath they heaved was lab oured. They were b one tired and irritab le at b eing confined in full plate for nearly two days ride._

 _The night wind b lew roughly threw her long hair, tossing her b runette curls ab out her shoulder's as if angered b y her pressence here in Elysian. The cool air did nothing to dry the sweat moistening her skin b eneath her armour. It only served to throw a chill through her instead. She shivered and growled in irritation._

 _There was nothing in sight, just the waving high grass of the sprawling meadow that b ordered the great green wood far in the distance. The b illowing shadows cast b y the moon's lonely gaze, amid the dips and valleys of that huge meadow made the hairs on the b ack of her neck stand up. That sixth sense of lurking threat that all warrior's gain from surviving previous b attles b egan to nag at her._

 _She had b een curious why her horse seemed cautious, almost wary ab out continuing towards those woods. Her gaze shifted to her men, finding some of them leaning weakly against the necks of their mounts. While others were uncapping water skins and drinking deeply. She patted the neck of her stallion, feeling him tremb ling under her fingers._

 _She looked around again, taking his warning seriously. Finding only the vacant darkness of meadow grass and looming night ahead. To the naked eye there was ab solutely nothing out there._

" _Careful." Jupiter instructed in a hushed growl. "My horse is acting skittish, there might b e something out there."_

" _Mines acting weird too." A soldier reported near the edge of the procession._

" _That why we left the main b ody of the army b ehind. For now we need to scout ahead, make sure the way the clear." She_ _commanded, placing her helm b ack onto her head b efore kicking her mount forward. Her stallion huffed in defiance at first then strode into the high grass at a cautious gate. Jupiter kept a keen eye upon either side of her mount as the tall grass enveloped them._

 _As if on cue once they were all concealed within the grass, a piercing war cry erupted from within their midst. It split the air like a thunder clap, a war scream that was equal parts anger and mirth. Snarling and howling with b oth triumph and savagery. Then the source of the fearful cry came equally fast. Charging through the tall grass from the right. The faint light from the mid summer moon was poor illumination to track the b east now b earing down upon them at an incredib le speed._

 _It only illuminated part of the man-monster. Who was now b arreling down upon her right flank of soldiers. A hideous mountain of snarling teeth and claws, its huge muscled torso wrapped up in mismatched hide armour. His skin was as b lack as the night itself, as if perhaps he had b een b orn from it._

 _His eyes gleamed with the mirrored edge of a nocturnal predator. Never in all her life had Jupiter seen such a ghastly visage. The b east wielded two huge b lades, that were easily the size of a man. As he reached the first soldier he threw b ack his head and roared. As if screaming to the heavens his defiance, wanting the gods to hear his rage and try and stop the carnage he was ab out to unleash._

" _Demon!" One of her soldier's b ellowed in fright, as his mount reared and screamed. Then to a one every horse reared_ _and cried out in terror. Tossing and trampling their shocked rider's. As frantic horse flesh and panicked soldier's b ecame a maelstrom of chaos. One unlucky soldier got tangled in his stirrups and was dragged away into the night. His screams echoed for only a moment b efore they were ab ruptly silenced. Announcing quite strongly that other monsters lurked in the dark meadow. Amid the shout and cries of terror, Jupiter sat proudly upon her mount. Who had seen far more of b attle then these young geldings and could keep a calm head when faced with insurmountab le threats. When the monster's_

 _b lades came down. Cleaving a nearb y horse that had lost it's way asunder in one b low. The horses innards spilled out over the earth, it's b lood soaking the grass. The remaining horses fled, snorting and shaking their heads as they b roke free to the west. Leaving their rider's at the mercy of the rampaging b east._

 _Jupiter was spurned into action, she unsheathed her great halb erd from her b ack. Raising the mighty b lade ab ove her head with two hands as she charged her mount towards the b east. Her war scream was as piercing and ferocious as the b ird of prey that adorned her helm._

 _Her horse made it only a few paces b efore the night itself seemed to b end. The vicious b low she took to the stomach was never anticipated. As she flew off her horse as if propelle cannon strike. Crashing to the tall grass, her b reast plate_

 _b adly dented and crushing the air from her lungs. Gasping and panting she rolled onto all fours, one hand still grasping the hilt of her great sword. The hit had b een incredib ly vicious, nearly knocking her unconscious. She was a Warrior Goddess and it took something truly powerful to leave her so shaken._

 _Slowly she raised her head, coming toward her was what appeared t moving slice of the night. As it got closer she could make out that it was a slight frame. That of a woman, swathed in a magical b lack cloak. With a deep veiled hood that concealed her face. She was whispering upon the wind like an ill omen. Her voice echoing with immortal power's far b eyond that of a mere mortal. Coming her way at a loose, leisurely gate. Confided in her superiority and the inevitab le demise of her enemies._

 _Jupiter swallowed hard and settled her nerves. She understood the words of power, the woman was enchanting a spell. What she did not know, b ut whatever dark power had shielded her from notice earlier was certainly the source of evil. That had created the horrific demon who had taken out her scouting party and those that were still lurking in the fields b eyond._

 _Jupiter scramb led to her feet, glancing sideways finding her war horse a few paces away. He was stead fast and courageous. Jupiter was thankful for his loyalty. If she needed a hasty exit then he was within reach. But first she wanted to face this darkness head on, glean what she could ab out it's purpose here in Elysian. It wasn't prob ab le that Endymion would rally his b anner to such darkness even to protect his princess. He was far to proud, to honourab le to take such drastic measures. This darkness was not of this world, b ut it had corrupted this human woman. Offering her great power at the cost of her soul. But what was her purpose...her driving force to want to slaughter the Moon's forces?_

 _Jupiter took only a couple steps b ackward, b efore she tripped over the savaged b ody of one her men. Grasping the hilt of her weapon with a shaking, sweaty hand. As the sharp calls of twin raven's shattered the night. Jupiter scanned the night sky, finding two small specks of deeper b lack b locking the stars. Phob os and Deimos were circling the meadow?_

 _It took Jupiter only a second to realize Mars had b een attacked as well and had sent her two familiars to check on her and Venus. Was Mar's army decimated? Was Venus still alive?_

 _The air was thick with fear and impending doom as the woman voice grew in intensity. What ever spell she was calling forth it was close to b eing released. Jupiter quickly glanced over her shoulder and then ahead again, judging the distance b etween the spell caster and her mount. Off to her left she could hear the sickening ring of metal and the slick thudding of b odies and heads hitting the ground. As the giant was lopped and gutting the rest of her fleeing men. Still laughing like a child at play, at the gruesome slaughter he was inflicting._

 _Jupiter continued to b ack away, struggling to stay calm. The raw panic the massive spell of destruction was invoking in her was b reaking down her resolve. Tremb ling and b arely holding onto her composure, her knees practically knocking as she inched towards her mount. Not wanting to make it to ob vious as to her destination. She acted disorientated, her eyes darting over the dead b odies now scattered around the meadow. The men who had already lost their minds to fear and had b olted, had lost their lives only meters away. Decapitated or impaled b y the sadisticly jovial monster._

 _In her darkest nightmares and all the b loody campaigns she had led to quell the inner planets reb ellions against her Queen. She had never imagined this, b eing so overwhelmed, so quickly b y such a truly insidious dark power._

 _More shadows were now closing in on the periphery of the carnage, chuckling and their b lood soaked b lades gleaming in the moonlight. They had taken out all of her soldiers who had managed to get past the giant. The ones who still remained stood their ground, b ringing forth their own weapons._

 _Jupiter pretended to limp towards them, all the while she kept her eyes on the slowly moving shadow casting the spell. It's b lack cloak dancing smoothly in the warm wind, revealing a twilight lavender dress b eneath._

 _Jupiter squinted to attempt to see b etter, the dress's fab ric was rich, like velvet? Who ever this woman was, she wasn't poor...perhaps part of one of the earthly royal houses? She moved like liquid death, her movements rapid and measured. As she killed every last one of her remaining soldiers. Swiftly disarming each one and them, deflecting their final charges with patient, almost professional air. As if she was a trained assassin. Though Jupiter knew that each of her soldier's was attacking to the b est of their ab ilities. It seemed as if they were merely handing over their weapons to her. The living shadow moved faster then her eyes could track in the poor light the moon gave off. She watched helplessly as the shadow slit throats, inserting her dagger into an ear. Passing b etween each of the remaining men left alive b ut crippled upon the ground. Gliding her b lade across their throats, all the while whispering her incantation of impending death. Moving like a spirit of vengeance across the b attlefield. Offering a hand to one young man, who was cowering_

 _b eside his fallen saddle. As if seeking to aid him to his feet, taking the the man's sword from his shaking grasp. Then returning it with one fluid motion, into the pit b eneath the man's arm. Thrusting the b lade b etween his rib s and straight into his heart. She was dispensing death more swiftly and efficiently than Jupiter had ever seen._

 _Ab le to use any weapon, never pausing, switching hands to kill with such uncanny skill it astounded._

 _Time slowed for Jupiter as the realization came upon her, it fell upon her conscious mind like a comforting mantle. The imminence of her own death. Detachedly she was aware of the tightness of the skin around her eyes as she refused to b link. The stinging in the corners of her eyes, as the lack of movement dried them out. Or perhaps it was true fear, regret or a mixture of many other sad emotions that caused her eyes to tear up. She had put many to the sword herself, all in the name of protection._

 _The protection of the Throne..._

 _The protection of the Royal family..._

 _For Selene..._

 _A sweet, endearing face swam in her minds eye. The innocent shine of pure b lue eyes, gazing fondly up at her. Golden tails fluttering the wind, as gloriously melodic laugh so filled with joy echoed upon the wind._

 _For Serenity!_

 _The very thought of her princess washed the unyielding fear the shadow's spell had cast upon her. Emb oldening her resolve and tore away the suffocating darkness that was once holding her b ack from retaliating. Her heart was now free of the spells constraints and she could focus once more with clear clarity._

 _The sudden dread that this undefeated shadow might b e headed to murder her b eloved princess, after she had laid waste to the land. Snapped her out of her grim self refection. Taking a sharp cold b reath, she dashed for her horse. Leaping with a wild, desperate cry onto his b ack. Kicking the animal hard against the flanks and sending it forward at a intense pace. The stallion leaped over the converging shadow monster's, intent on finishing off her remaining men. The war horses hooves dug into the ground when it landed a few feet away. It never lost its footing, charging forward towards the east. Churning up the dirt as it ran a full speed across the wide meadow. Heading unerringly for the ancient b elt of trees that circled the golden palace like a natural storm wall._

 _Jupiter never looked b ack, her eyes hard and focused upon her goal. As the air within the meadow was heating up, the wind searing the high grass. Moaning in warning, as it twisted and howled overhead. The grass b ent flat in supplication to the coming destruction. Jupiter lashed her mount with her heels in desperation. Needing the horse to run faster, as the fear and panic clutched hard at her chest. She needed to make the tree line b efore the spell ignited._

 _With a resounding b oom, the massive spell of dark fire finally exploded from the sky ab ove the rolling prairie. Crashing down upon the fields, its concussive force striping the land of all life. Tearing into the land and gouging it away in massive chunks. Beyond the main b last, a dark inferno of death b illowed and rolled outward. Ultimate destruction devoured the meadows. Sweeping across the dips and swales of the prairie, b urning them away to ash. None was spared, every living thing was decimated in a matter of seconds. Leaving only scorched earth b ehind._

 _Jupiter b ent low upon her mounts neck as the b ranches of the outer ring of elm trees crashed over her head. She could feel the shadow's eyes b oring into her, full of wrath and vengeance. A shiver of pure fear washed over her in that moment. Death was coming for them all...this was only the b eginning of their coming suffering._

 _Her horse was moving at a b reak neck speed, his hooves stead fast and sure. As he put distance b etween them and the anguished land b ehind. Jupiter cursed herself for a fool, infuriated that her choices had b een so b leak. Forced to leave her army b ehind like sacrificial lamb s to the slaughter. To b e immolated b y demon fire, while she raced to her princess's side. All thoughts of her queen's commands now cast aside. As an even more deadly foe had reared it's head. Who was that woman? How did she gain such dark and unb elievab le powers?_

 _What was her purpose in destroying Endymion's land? Had she already laid waste the castle or had the moons armies unintentionally delayed her siege?_

 _Jupiter raced into the night, her heart slamming against her b reast. The pain of her b roken b ones from the shadow woman's first attack long forgotten. Her only thought was of Serenity and her well b eing nothing else mattered..._

The real world surged into blinding clarity in the next instant. As Lita aimed the full force of her lightening towards the soldier's hanging helplessly from the rafter's. Her thoughts were numb, driven only by fear and loathing. She unleashed the full extent of her powers, with out a thought of the consequences. The club lit up briefly like a nova blast, the massive concussion of her lightening hitting the roof and back wall. The backlash of her massive discharge of power, knocking everyone and everything not tied down into the front of the club as if an atomic blast had ignited in the confines of the dance floor.

When the dust settled and the dull red haze of the emergency lights came on. Lita was the last thing standing, seething and heaving for breath through clenched teeth. Her arms now limp at her sides, no longer sparking, her skin still shivering with pent up aggression, that she still held in check.

The weight of her powers upon her body lightened by their release. Yet her head hung low in defeat, her heart ached with a heavy weariness. She had unleashed the full extent of her genesis, vaporizing everything in its path and blasting most of the roof and a great portion of the four story mall into ash. Her rage had murdered countless human beings, including Randy. A stoic, aloof boy she barely knew, who had turned into a twisted man full of hatred towards her kind. In the end she didn't know if he was worth saving or could even be redeemed. After the battle in the underground of the Arena and the murder's she had just committed by her own hands. For the sake of her friends, she wondered if she was worth redemption as well?

Serenity had huddled down on the floor when Lita unleashed her lightening. Wrapping her wings around her body to shield herself from the fallout of debris. When she finally peeked out from the curtain of down feather's to ascertain the extent of the damage Lita had caused. She sucked in a cold breath of disbelief. Half the club was gone, most of the roof missing revealing the neon glow of the entertainment bund outside. A few stars winked down at them from beyond the haze of smoke and street lights. The silence that reigned now that the battle was over was deafening.

She slowly rose to her feet, scanning the carnage and utter devastation. Biting the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from breaking down into heart breaking sobs. As she saw the ash silhouettes of the three remaining sister's upon the dance floor. The few solider's who had survived the blast now cowered in the darkness, whimpering and traumatized by the magnitude of the power they were so arrogantly attempting to quell.

Her eyes so full of sorrow and compassion, finally fell on Lita. Who was trembling violently now. Falling into shock, her face pale and a sheen of sweat now covering her body. Serenity dashed to her side and enveloped her in her arms, circling her wings protectively around her dear friend.

"Don't touch me!" Lita screamed, writhing against Serenity's hold. "Don't fucking touch me!" She raged, but the fight soon left her. Leaving her sobbing and wailing inconsolably in Serenity's arms, gripping her shoulder's desperately, needing to find any kind of solace from the magnitude of guilt and pain now blossoming in her heart.

She had killed so many people now...since finding Sere again. She had lost herself somewhere amid the fighting and became a killing machine, with no soul it seemed. Until the rage dimmed and she could think clearly again. Now there was only pain and remorse, "I had too...I couldn't let them kill my friends...my family. " She took a long broken breath.

"Who am I...Sere...what have I become?" She moaned, hiccuping and desperately trying to regain her composure. As she bathed her Princess's chest in her tears. Serenity just held onto her tight, crying silently, petting her hand down the auburn curls of her hair. " You defended us all...you did not kill them with out remorse. You are not a murderer, Lita. Oh, god...I love you so much. " She whispered soothingly in her ear.

As the faint sounds of their comrades regaining their feet and scrambling through the wreckage to their side could be heard beyond the curtain of pale trembling white wings.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

 _The scents of the earth were heady, the damp smells of moss and rot, swirling in the stale air. This deep in the darkness underground it surrounded like a suffocating b lanket. A primordial dusk hung around the ancient stone ruins, lurking in the gloom. A grey mist churned and b illowed amid the b roken pillars and cracked stone archways._

 _A low, whispering howl like the voices of the damned whistled up from the endless ab yss. Of lonely crags and sheer cliffs that surrounded the ruins. A steady repetitive drip rang through the deep shadows. Water from the surface, trickling down the jagged stone pillars. Descending from the earthen roof of the cave. Falling from the sharp edges, of lurking stalactites, into the remains of a stagnate pool in the far recess of the ruins. The dank, moist air hung like a sheet of decay, creating a clammy sort of cold that penetrated. Making the b ody ache painfully and the skin sting as if b urned b y acid._

 _The roof of the cavern hung, in jagged teeth of stone. As solid and impenetrab le as a crypt and as certain as a grave. She felt death all around her, cold and unfeeling. She dared not move, lest that lurking phantom she knew was watching her from b eyond the rolling fog would strike her down. She felt as frozen as a b lock of ice, her chest aching, with a heavy weight of anxiety and primordial fear. A deep seeded panic of feeling trapped and left to rot for all eternity heavy on her mind. She could b arely find enough air, each b reath a struggle to sift clean oxygen out of the thick soup of tepid, viscous moisture floating around her._

" _I can sense you...my Mamoru. I know you are here. Where is this place?" Serenity whispered b rokenly into the void. Her_ _white dress b illowing around her ankles, her golden tails snapping in the gust of wind, howling up from the ab yss surrounding her. Standing upon a precipice of b roken stone, at the edge of the ruins. Her wide cerulean eyes shimmering with grief, her delicate hands clenched over her heart. Trying to soothe the painful ache in her heart that had grown in his ab sence._

 _Her whispered plea went unanswered b y nothing b ut the frozen wind, howling and teasing her hair and gown relentlessly. Staring b leakly out at the endless night, she could find no solace from the heartache and worry that was now shattering her inside._

A lone black cat sat vigil upon the wide window pane in a high end hotel room. Stern, wise dark brown eyes monitored the golden blonde woman currently wincing and twitching restlessly beneath the stark white blankets. Taking in her princess's state of unease. As her slight movement began to intensify. As she writhed and moaned beneath the heavy covers of the bed, whimpering mournfully before bolting upright with a gasp. Clutching the white sheets against her breast, her eyes filled with sheer terror upon waking.

Serenity glanced around the unfamiliar room in confusion, the pale off white rice divider's with wooden frames offering no clarity. A small cafe table with two chairs sat in the far corner, as pristine as if it had never been used. A polyester grey couch and flanking chairs sat in the front corner of the room adjacent to the small eating area. Two dark night stands flanked her bed, with matching modern silver lamps. Her confused reflection in the mirror before her, mounted upon a cherry wood desk. Sitting against the front wall at the foot of her huge bed, was pale and drawn. Her eyes pink and puffy from the crying jag last night.

This wasn't her hotel room...

The nightmare still thick upon her mind, haunting her as she finally drew her gaze towards the window. The morning sun slanting through the glass, illuminating the floating cloud of dust hanging around the room. Her eyes slowly focusing upon the strange black cat, staring just as intently back at her.

"Good morning, Princess." The cat's thin lips pulled back to show a very feral smile.

Serenity promptly screamed and scuttled over the far side of her mattress, as if seeking cover from enemy fire.

The cat rolled it's eyes in irritation as the thunder of footsteps, resounded in the hall beyond the room. The front door slammed open and four girls dress in casual kaki shorts and t-shirts, for hiking stormed into the room. Their eyes alert for danger, bodies coiled to attack the imaginary intruder. Three men followed them into the room, in a calmer more measured stride. Dressed in faded jeans and button down shirts, hauling fully packed back packs over their shoulder's. With a white and a silver toned cat galloping lazily behind them.

"Good morning, your majesty." The white cat leaped up upon the edge of the desk and seemed to bow his head

reverently towards her.

"Morn'in. Serenity." A silver-grey cat sprang up upon the twisted mess of the white comforter on the mattress. Her soft, hight pitched voice so easily recognizable as Diana's. Her familiar soft brown eyes gazing with amusement down at the now cowering blonde. Dressed only in a plain black t-shirt of Darien's, that hung sloppily off one slender shoulder. As it fit rather big on her small, lithe frame. The hem hanging near her knees, resembling a night gown more then a shirt.

Serenity's fingers gripped the sheets, as she blinked up at the cat in disbelief.

"Diana..." She breathed, releasing the sheet and falling tiredly onto her butt.

As her friends relaxed, no longer on high alert. Making themselves comfortable at the cafe table or upon the couch and chairs in the quaint living room area. Completely ignoring the fact that Serenity was once again half naked in their midst.

"Correct! Now tell the Princess what's she won..." Diana crooned in a game show announcers tone. Then in a flash of light, her body lengthened and reformed to that of a young human woman with platinum blonde hair. Dressed in a pair of black leather pants with a wide rhinestone belt and a tight white top with a plunging cowl neckline. Showing off her ample chest and slender toned arms.

In quick succession both the black and white cat transformed into human's as well. The black cat now dressed in a very professional fashion, of a black pantsuit with a prim and proper bone coloured blouse beneath the jacket. Her curly ebony hair twisted up in a smart bun at the center of her head. Her features stern and aristocratic. Her counterpart was a lanky, toned young man with long white hair. He had a regal face, with a fine bone structure. Dressed in a simple white suit, his appearance and outfit so lacking in pigment. If it wasn't for his piercing blue eyes he would easily be mistaken for being an albino.

"She's won a brief history lesson." Amy announced bluntly, curling her finger in a come hither gesture from her position on the couch. Her lap top was set up on her knees and her finger's were flying over the keys, loading up all the information she had ripped off the melted drive back in Tokyo.

"Were am I..." Serenity whispered nervously, pulling down on the hem of the black t-shirt she was wearing. The soft scent of detergent and Darien wafting up from the neckline. With a moan she quickly pulled the collar up to her nose and took a savouring sniff. Her insides clenching with longing and pain.

"Your in Darien's hotel room." Hollywood advised, brushing a hand through his long platinum blonde hair as he strode past her towards the window.

Serenity acknowledge him with a vacant nod, the scattered hours of last night coming into a blurry if drunken focus. How they had narrowly escaped the remains of the club, evaded the police and wandered the early morning streets of Shanghai. Eventually making it down town to the modern hotel Darien and the rest had booked when they smuggled themselves across the border late last night. She had been so drained from her transformation it was all just a messed up haze of half formed moments. Feeling groggy and slightly hung over, she moaned and hung her head. She figured the girls must have undressed her and slipped one of Darien's shirts over her before leaving her to sleep. Scrubbing a tired hand down her face, she attempted to shake off the last of the ill, disconnected feelings that accompany not remembering something clearly.

"Sere..." Amy refocused her softly, pointing down at her laptop.

"Right." Serenity nodded, moving with out an once of embarrassment. Planting herself on the couch right next to Amy.

Subtly shoving Zac from his seat to the couches arm as she promptly sat down between them.

Amy brought up several screens, minimizing a few and maximizing other's. She would go through the information in a methodical manner so Serenity got the full picture of what her mother had been up to for the last hundred years.

"Ido's Takahashi had been researching you, your mother, those sanskrit scrolls and that ancient artifact of yours for years." Amy began, pulling up the first image. That was of a group of female terra cotta warriors in full battle armour. The head warrior holding out her hand with a glass bead in her palm.

"Alright fast forward," Serenity made an annoying buzzing sound. "The monks explained all this to me already." Serenity quipped, pointing towards the statues. Not going into detail that the memories of that life were still far to vivid to deal with. Not wanting to endure another tragic history lesson. "That's me, and those four behind me are you guys a hundred years ago. That life time was when the silver crystal manifested again after thousands of years of being...gone." She shrugged, not fully understanding how an object of that magnitude could just become nothing for so long. Then magically reappear based solely on the desperate plea of an Imperial Guard. Who had lost everyone she loved and could not bare to live with out them.

Amy past her a curt nod, pulling up snap shots of the Sanskrit Scrolls.

Serenity pretended to push a button in the air making that same annoying sound. "Fast forward, know all about the Scrolls. They were ancient documents that spoke of the Silver Millennium and all the Gods who once ruled this solar system. They are prophecies of the end days, when the Gods would seek to reclaim this planet in an apocalyptic war that would end up destroying all life on earth. Our only hope for salvation would lay with the messiah. A goddess made flesh, born of this planet but still possesses the power of the eternity itself. I'm that great messiah, in all her messed up glory. " Serenity finished, her tone bitter and sardonic.

Amy passed her an irritated look, tapping on the keys to bring up more information. Not appreciating her continued interruptions.

A set of photo's and sketches of a single woman dating back several hundred years. With pale blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Her clothes changed as the ages past, but not her face. A timeless entity who had remained in the background of history waiting to strike, when the time was right.

Serenity quipped again. "Fast forward...that's my crazy ass, mother and all her previous guises. She has been plotting behind the scenes of humanity for thousands of years. "

"You know, that's getting rather annoying." Amy spat back, not even lifting her fingers from the keys this time.

Bringing up a series of mug shots with vital stats written beside each image. They ranged from every country, every nationality and every economic status. From the ungodly rich to the tragically poor.

"Who are all these people?" Serenity narrowed her eyes trying to ascertain if she knew any of the hundreds of faces now scrolling up the screen.

"These are the last remains of the Gods of the Silver Millennium." Luna cleared her throat, giving Zac's leg a polite pat with her hand. Wanting the man to vacate his seat, so she could perch on the arm beside Serenity. Zac huffed and conceded to Luna's silent demand, shuffling off with his cane to sit on other arm of the couch on Amy's other side.

"A data base for every Genesis Born on the planet." Amy clarified as she typed away at her keyboard, refining the search. "Your mother has been selectively recruiting for her army world wide for the last five years."

"Those who do not join her cause are killed." Luna interrupted. "By Randy and his sub sect of the Agency, who have unwittingly been your mother's execution squad for those last five years."

Serenity's heart wept as she noticed the blood red script beside more id photo's then not.

"Why did Ido have this?" She turned to Luna.

"Because he was a part of the resistance, ever since your investigation of Daiki Shinoda a couple years back." Artemis moved to stand in front of the coffee table, his expression somber and arms folded over his chest. Conveying his discomfort at speaking about the dead. "You and his other soldier's were working to cull the ranks of your mother's army."

Serenity nodded, understanding more about the mission back in Osaka to exterminate the Onii. Daiki had created. "The Onii."

"Yes." Luna nodded

"Tomoe's serum, was called the 'Gaia Project'" Amy countered, bringing up all the research and DNA graphs Ido had stolen from Daiki's lab years ago. "Creating Super Soldier's by splicing human and God or Genesis Born, DNA."

"Thankfully, Ido was able to prevent it from going worldwide then." Artemis sighed.

"In the end, Queen Selene only managed to receive several hundred modified humans for her army." Luna advised.

"She wanted to infect the whole world?" Serenity shivered at the thought of a planet full of disfigured monster's.

"She wanted to infect a select portion of the world, your mother is a bit of a control freak. She wants to recreate the realm of the God's here on earth. The humans last time rebelled against her and she doesn't want to deal with any opposition this time. " Diana gave Serenity a grim smile.

"But the Arena's were still operating in Japan for years afterward?" Serenity glanced to each on in turn.

"Yes, Daiki's grandfather secretly created the gambling ring for his own gain. Refining the serum Tomoe created in his own labs. The very labs Daiki was trying to make legit, when Beryl attacked the hotel. Your mother caught wind of it and torched the hotel wanting to send Mr. Shinoda a message through his nephew, that she was coming to clean house." Diana rolled her shoulder's, speaking of the massacre making her uncomfortable.

"Mr. Shinoda had been attempting to open up Arena's in several other countries, shipping his Onii all over the world." Artemis stated.

Amy nodded, all those cells back at the Arena now making more sense. "Daiki's grandfather had never worked for Black Widow, but what he was doing was a liability to her plans of conquest. The Onii were her weapons and no one else's." She mused.

"She is a bit of a control freak...I told ya!" Diana smirked.

"You were there?" Mina spoke up, from her position leaning against the wall by the glass window. Staring directly at Artemis, her gaze firm. Silently pressuring him to confirm her suspicion.

"I was." Artemis explained. " I was sent by the Leader of the Rebellion, to infiltrate Daiki's party. I was to try and talk some reason into Daiki and his crazed plan to make the serum a legit pharmaceutical drug. But I never made it to his side in time."

"But the Wild Genesis happening down in the ball room." Lita finally spoke up.

"We weren't counting on the serum being distributed, that was a wild card. One of the rich brats spiked the punch with the serum. How he got his hands on it, I have no idea. If he was a part of Beryl's plan that night, I don't know. Either way she planned to attack the hotel anyway. It was just the beginning of the culling of a whole generation of the wealthy and influential all over the world." Artemis looked guilty, casting his eyes down in shame.

"We were to concentrated on making sure the Genesis Born ascending world wide were protected and on our side for this last battle." Luna rubbed the back of her neck, giving Serenity an apologetic look. "We just don't have the man power to save everyone."

"This Wild Genesis happening world wide when did it start?" Serenity asked, directing her question to Luna. She remembered the twins she had help ascend back in California. It wasn't some freak accident but a world wide epidemic.

"Just after your first Ascension to your True Princess form during the Caen Disaster." Luna responded. "The great powers you unleashed activated their dormant Genesis. You literally awoke the Silver Mellenium that day."

Serenity took a deep breath, needing to calm her fraying nerves. Because of her, all the human beings reincarnated with fragments of the Gods from the Silver Millennium were being reborn on earth.

"Shingo told me the serum is being disturbed as a new drug around campus of his Private School." Serenity moaned, rubbing a hand down her face in anguish.

"It's gone viral, a diluted version of it is a world wide epidemic now." Diana sighed. "But after several doses of God DNA, the humans infected will turn into an Onii."

"Which is why Daiki's grandfather began offering Bounty's on Genesis Born for his Arenas." Serenity nodded. The gravity of how infected the human race was now startling her.

"This seemed to be more of my dear mother's mess then my own." Serenity groaned turning back to the monitor. If she hadn't wanted to expand her ranks beyond the Genesis Born already in her army, this epidemic wouldn't have happened.

"Why does Ido have this crucial information?" Raye threw a hand towards the laptop, sitting primely on a flanking plush chair with a leg bent and tucked under the butt.

"He was hiding operatives from the resistance in Japan, who had their cover blown." Diana stated from her cross legged position on the corner of the bed.

"We have operatives working as our eyes, ears in every country across the earth. From government positions to the armies themselves. Trying to keep the Queen's influence from spreading." Luna sighed, scrubbing a hand down her face. It had been a long and tireless war for her.

"So once Beryl got this information back to the Queen?" Lita groused.

"She sent assassins to kill them." Diana nodded.

"We lost many good people in the last few weeks. The rebellion is now only a few thousand strong world wide." Luna released a heavy breath.

"Rebellion?" Amy frowned this was the first she had heard of this.

Luna smiled, "Yes, we have been fighting against your mother for thousands of years."

"What?" Serenity sent Luna a startled look.

"We are Immortal just like your mother." Luna, patted Serenity's back reassuringly.

"The resistance was a merger of human and god, seeking to dethrone your mother. You and your guardian's created the rebel force to free the Earth from her tirany during the Silver Millennium."

"You wanted Endymion's Golden kingdom and the four heavenly kingdoms to be free to make their own choices to govern their own people and no longer be subservient to the realm of the gods." Artemis explained. "The fact that you all were in love with the Prince and his four Heavenly Kings only spurned the cause more." The platinum blonde man drew a meaningful look across everyone in the room.

Lita and Kane subtly reached for each other, holding hands in the far corner of the room. She had shared with him last night her memories of her first life. It had taken thousands of years for their souls to find each other. Even if he didn't remember his life as Nephrite. Lita now possessed the ability to feel the Heavenly Kings soul sleeping inside him. The comfort she took from that was beyond words. It grounded the storm that constantly raged inside her soul. He was her anchor now and forever...

Zac leaned over and brushed the knuckles of his hand fondly down Amy's cheek. Amy turned and offered him a loving smile. She had many long talks with him over the weeks about her first life and how he really was the reencarnation of Zoisite. Her one and only true love. Those intense, yet sweet conversations had created an unbreakable bond between them.

Mina grimaced and shot Hollywood a hard look, striding purposefully over to Raye. Straddling the arm of the chair and tucking the raven haired woman securely to her side. Silently professing were her loyalty of love lay in this life time.

Hollywood licked this front teeth and folded his arms tight across his chest, scowling down at his feet from his position against the window. His face stone and unreadable, as he drew his thoughts retreating inward to how time had changed them all. He understood from speaking with Darien that he was once a great general called Kunsite. But he had no memory of anylife time beside this one. It left him doubting that he might even possess the Genesis Gene. That he was merely human and Darien had just lost his mind. All the craziness he had been thrust into for the last month seemed beyond reason. Like some bad trip he had yet to sober up from.

"The agency was not created by your mother specificly, just infected by soldier's loyal to her cause. It had started out as a human counter measure to keep track of the Genesis Born now ascending across the globe." Luna, began "When Genesis Born began to manifest all over the world to epidemic proportions. The U.N created the shadow agency to keep tabs on them. But as all things go over time the organization got bloated and soon lost track of itself and its real reason for being. It was easy for your mother to send Beryl into their ranks and begin to recruit human soldier's so consumed by hatred and fear of them, that a terrorist sect was formed. Simply, head hunting for her army from the millions of Genesis Born found world wide. Those who agreed with her domination became Generals in her army. Those that didn't, well.." Luan shrugged. "The resistance tried to save as many as we could."

"Wow..." Amy scrubbed her hands down her face in anxiety.

"She will lead her army down from the mountains from the Celestial Temple, conquering China first. Then using the resources and man power this country has to embolden her ranks and spread out over Europe and across the sea." Diana took a long deep breath.

"We have gathered our forces and intend to blockade all the routes from the Mountains to inland China." Luna advised.

"We will fight her till the last man." Artemis nodded, his blue eyes fierce.

"Lets hope it doesn't come to that. I intend to stop her before she even leaves the Temples grounds." Serenity rose from the couch. "If everyone is packed, then just give me a couple minutes to change and I'll meet you outside. The sooner we start this journey, the sooner I can get my crystal back!" She strode over to the bed, searching hopefully for her green army pack. A proud smile pulling on her lips as she caught sight of the worn, weathered cotton bag sticking out from

beneath the iron bed frame.

"We all know how much that old thing means to you and that your whole life is packed into it. " Lita clapped her on the back, giving her cheek a chaste kiss before retreating from the room.

"Thank's guys..." Serenity called as they all shuffled out of the room. Leaving Luna, Artemis and Diana standing before the window. In a flash of light they transformed back into cats, padding softly around the bed. Finding Serenity unpacking the bag with a slow, methodical reverence for every item she pulled out.

Until she came to a small plastic pez machine, with a happy white bunny dispenser on top. As she rubbed the thumb over its worn, well loved surface a shaky breath released from her lips. Her body trembling with pent up emotion she was fighting hard to contain. Darien had given this to her so very long ago, she had carried it with her ever since. It always provided her comfort and hope that things would get better. Just like he had when they were kids.

"I am sorry, Princess." Luna's voice floated from her lap. Serenity looked down to find the black cat, pawing her knees. A sympathetic gesture that was far to human to be seen coming from the body of a feline.

"Luna, were you a part of mine or my mother's court?" She asked.

"Neither." Luna sat down stiffly on her hind legs. "We are the triad, created from the heart of the Celestial Cauldron same as all the gods. Sent to aid and guide the proper ruler to the throne of this solar system after the Silver Millennium fell. We arrived long after your first death. It was your first reencarntion that called us to the earth."

Serenity sat back on her bum and leaned against the mattress, sensing Luna's explanation would take a bit to get through.

"Who sent you?" She asked.

"The Progenitor's " Artemis padded into view sitting beside Luna.

"The crystal showed me how vast and insignificant this solar system is. How we are not alone in this universe, that their are others like us...God and Goddess reigning on other planets." Serenity eyebrow raised in wonder while her gut clenched with anxiety as she spoke.

"Yes, the vast Cosmic Society this Solar System had once been a part of has been grieved, at the Moon Kingdoms loss." Diana stated, coming to sit beside the larger cats.

"When we arrived both the Moon and Earth kingdom's had already fallen. There wasn't a trace left of any of the Gods who once guided this planet. It was as if they never existed at all, even the dark being who had sought domination over this solar system had merely disappeared." Luna's feline face was twisted up in a confused scowl.

"It took over a thousand years for even a trace of your soul to reappear upon this planet." Artemis commented, sadly.

"Slowly all the gods and goddesses souls have been reforming as the cycle of rebirth continued." Diana smiled sadly.

"Rini?" Serenity took a deep breath wondering if she really wanted to know how much of Princess Serenity's soul resided inside the young girl.

"She is but the final fragment of your soul." Luna stated, "When she has been disposed of your soul will finally be whole."

"She isn't a disease!" Serenity shot back. "She is a living, breathing person and I have no intention of killing her for my own benefit!" She spat vehemently.

"She is tainted by the dark one." Diana stated back, rather harshly. "There is no salvation for her any longer."

"Why didn't you tell me all this when we first met Diana?" Serenity accused jadedly.

"Because you were not ready. A year ago I had befriended you, because I truly wanted to know you. You are a truly exceptional soul, Princess. So sweet and passionate, your aura so full of love it is almost divine. The fact that it existed inside the frail body of a human vessel was so very curious for me." Diana shrugged her furry shoulders. "I guided you in the proper direction to reclaim your crystal at the Monastery. That was all I was compelled to do at that time."

"We waited to see if you were ready to take on your role as the future ruler of this planet." Luna finished.

Serenity began to laugh bitterly, "Sorry to disappoint." she smat.

"Nonsense, my dear." Luna chastised. "It took time, but you have resurrected your true self and have since then taken on the mantle and responsibility to guide this planet's evolution."

"Do you remember that time so long ago?" Artemis questioned, sincerely.

"I remember I was happy then. Happier then I have ever been since but that's it. I wasn't allowed to ressurrect my memories from that life. " Serenity bowed her head allowing the emotions to draw her in. "My master told me what history he could from the Sanscrit Scrolls." She sighed heavily, her heart burning with disappointment. She felt so cheated that she had been blocked when she had been so close to becoming whole.

"The Moon and Earth went to war and our happiness was destroyed utterly. Then just as now I was unable to save

him...or any of them." She rubbed a knuckle into the corner of her eye, trying to force back the hurt and tears the stung her eyes.

The tears in her eyes dried, as a fierceness began to burn in them instead. She quickly began to repack her bag. "This time I will fight for him, this time I will save him! I may have been at my happiest then, but I am at my strongest now! " She vowed, jumping to her feet and pulling on a pair of jean capris. Fingering the pez dispenser tenderly one last time, she slipped it into a side pocket of her jeans. It had always been a lucky charm for her over the years, she needed it now more then ever.

Not bothering to change out of the lace bra and panties she had worn last night, or even his shirt. Wanting to keep that last fragment of him close, she merely knoted the huge black t-shirt under her breasts. Slipping on pair of cotton socks and her tennis shoes, she swiftly left the room with her pack slung over her shoulders. Ready to face anything and everything head on!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

They headed out of Shanghai in rented, silver Range Rover's. Taking the back roads out amid the rice fields and slowly rolling hills of southern China. The landscape growing more mountainous the further west they travelled. Skirting the large prefecture city of Tongren, keeping to the narrow dirt trails of rarely used roads. The rugged jeeps bouncing along the trails, their heavy tires gripping the loose dirt and digging in when necessary. Not wanting to get stoped by park officials or local law enforcement, they snuck into the vast nature reserve.

The jagged spine of the Wuling mountain range was soon jutting out of the approaching foothills. Lush and semi tropical landscape soon wrapped around them, as they disappeared into the ancient forests that hugged the mountains. They took the more difficult, rarely used road through the forest towards the Ying River. When they caught sight of military trucks, jeeps and foot soldier's moving along the main road. Deciding to take the west line route up the mountain to the Fanjin Mountain gate.

As the trail began to wind upward, the walls of the mountains began closing in on either side. In sheer drops of weathered stone, deep gorges and towering trees.

"I don't like the fact that the Chinese army is headed up to the mountain gate as well." Mina stated sourly from the back seat of the jeep.

Hollywood glanced back over his shoulder at her from the drivers seat. "That's why we are taking this god forsaken goat trail." he hissed back, cranking the wheel sharply to keep the franticly bouncing vehicle on the narrow road as they climbed upward.

"They could already be camped up at the gate, then our little hike will be over real quick." Mina growled back. Raye who was seated beside her, slipped her hand into hers. Intwining their finger's together, seeking to calm her. She was usually the hot headed one. But Mina had been in a heated mood for weeks, anxious and easy to rile. Mina lightly brushed her thumb over Rayes knuckles, silently reassuring her that she was alright, just dealing.

"Then we will figure out how to get you girls past them." Zac countered from his position in the front passenger seat.

"Fanjing is the highest mountain in the Wuling range." Amy announced from the back seat near the window, staring down nervously over the edge of the road. That plunged into a perilous gorge of sheer cliffs. Mina and Raye shared a grim look.

"Fanjin means Tranquility." Serenity intoned from the back seat of the other range rover, glancing down at the three cats nestled against her hips on the bench. They had not left her side since appearing this morning, immortal beings that they were. They seemed so vulnerable and weak compared to her mother?

"We're heading up to the Golden Summit, the Moon Mirror. There should be a portal into the God's realm and there we should find the Celestial Temple." Serenity locked her steely gaze on Lita who was seated in the passenger seat and Kane at the wheel ahead.

"It seems rather presumptuous that your mother is just going to let us waltz up into her temple unscathed." Kane sighed.

"By the look of the Chinese Soldier's already headed up the main road, I figure a welcome party is already waiting for us at the Gate." Lita slumped back against her chair, crossing her arms defiantly.

"I guess the mountain ain't so tranquil after all." Kane intoned, with a smirk.

All the two girls groaned at the poor idea of a joke to break the tension inside the jeep.

Hollywood abruptly slammed on the breaks, the back end of the jeep fishtailing slightly. Zac braced himself as both Mina and Raye shouted choice curses his way from the back seat. Amy merely braced herself against the bench, the lips thinned into a tight line.

Kane bellowed in alarm, when the Range Rover ahead's red break lights suddenly flashed.

"What the hell!" Kane ground his foot down on the brake, bringing their jeep to a grinding halt inches away from the bumper of the one in front. Lita had braced a protective arm over Serenity's chest, holding the shorter blonde back against the seat.

Amy held onto the granny bar over her window with both hands, white knuckled with her jaw clenched tight. Glancing backward as Kanes jeep squealed towards them. Visions of them hitting their forward vehicle and plummeting down the mountain. A clear and terrifying outcome in her mind.

Kane burst from the jeep, slamming the door shut as he thundered up the slope toward Hollywood. Who had exited his own jeep and was currently staring off into the distance pensively.

Kane was intent on slamming his fist in the man's face to wake him the hell up!

"What is the god damn deal! You nearly killed us!" He roared, his leather duster snapping angrily in the wind.

Personifying the rage simmering under his skin.

Hollywood raised a bracing arm to halt his forward stride. Forcing him to come abreast and scan the gulley ahead. Just over the next ridge above, they could see a long line of military vehicles positioned along the adjacent road. Heading up to the large parking lot with the elaborate pagoda style gate a few miles above them.

"Damn." Kane hissed.

"This is the end of the line?" Zac limped across the trail towards them, his cane scraping into the dirt and clumps of moss.

"For us." Hollywood narrowed his eyes, strategizing their next move. As the girls approached.

Luna had perched herself on top of the roof of their jeep, along with Artemis and Diana. All surveying the thick foliage along the trail, searching for another way to ascend the mountain.

"The girls will go into the forest." The black cat announced.

"While we provide a distraction at the gate to so you guys can sneak through." Hollywood nodded towards the self assured black cat.

"Split up!" Lita cried, instinctively curling her fists into Kane's black t-shirt. Pulling the man in close, needing for him to clarify what they were going to do.

"We will ram our jeeps through the gate, while you five slip in behind through the forest." Kane rubbed his thumbs tenderly over her fists, seeking to calm her raging spirit.

"The forest is thick and steep...you could wrap yourself around a tree!" Lita growled through clenched teeth. Her heart now hammering in her chest at the dread of losing him.

Kane released a long, low, sigh. Smiling down at her warmly, wanting to reassure her that he would be careful.

"What other choice do we have?" Hollywood spoke up, a resignation in his cool voice.

Serenity nodded, turning on her heel to head back to the jeep and gather up her pack. It would take a full day to hike straight up to the peek. There would be rest stops and inns along the steps for tourists. But if they could stay on the main paths they would reach the summit by dusk.

"Let get going, then." She commanded, opening the back hatch of the rover and slinging her army pack on her back. As Luna lept off the roof and landed elegantly on the top of her pack. Perching herself like some furry parrot upon the top flap.

Artemis and Diana pranced behind her into the underbrush.

Raye and Mina quickly gathered their own hiking gear and disappeared down the gulley and into the forest after Sere.

Leaving Amy and Lita to say their goodbyes.

Hollywood took out Lita's black hiking pack and set it on the road. Before taking his leave, driving away in the forward jeep knowing the two couples would need a bit of privacy in case this was the last time they saw one another.

Kane stared pleadingly down at Lita, his larger hands cupping her face. Wanting to calm her, seeing the fierce battle waging in her eyes. The anger and worry shimmering beneath the sensual emerald of her eyes was breathtaking. Making his heart clench at the pain he saw. "I will be ok..." He whispered, trying to reassure her. "I promise." Easing his lips down to her's. She seizes his shirt collar in a fist and held him close, unwilling to allow him to draw back. Deepening the kiss, smashing her lips against his violently. Their kiss soon becoming hungry and painful, tongues lashing and

twisting as if fighting for dominance. She could feel his arousal, hot and hard against her stomach. His hands flying passionately into her long auburn hair. His lips demanding against hers. As all the blood once pumping to her fists in her rising fury, now pooling deep down in her core. The ache he created inside of her pleading for only him to quell.

Finally she yanks her mouth away, shoving him away with her fisted hand. Breathing hard and struggling to keep her tears at bay. She quickly strides to her pack and adjusts it over her shoulders.

"I intend to finish what we started, Neville." She commands gruffly, the torment in her voice still quivering softly, before jogging away into the trees.

Kane smirks, she is the only person alive he allows to use his real name. Oddly enough he loves hearing it from her smooth sultry voice.

"Count on it! Lightening Bolt!" He shouted after her, laughing almost joyously. Brushing a hand through his wild coppery red hair and shaking his head ruefully. Shaking out his crotch, by jiggling his legs. Man was he turned on right now!

Zac swallows and looks down at Amy, his tender hazel green eyes full of such pent up emotion he could barely contain it all. Amy finds herself near tears in moments. Casting her head down shyly, desperate to stay in control.

"Don't hide from me." He whispers, running his finger down her face. Lightly grasping her chin and forcing her to look back up at him. Smiling down at her soothingly as the tears begin to fall down her face. Brushing them away with his thumbs. "These last few weeks have been the happiest of my life. I never thought I would find that other half of myself, hell I never even knew I was missing a piece of my heart till I found you. But I was lucky enough to have met you even if it might be brief."

"Don't say things like that." She moaned, closing her eyes and melting into his caress. As he cupped her cheek with one hand.

"You have brought out such powerful feelings in me I never knew existed. I need to know your safe, so that I can fight with a clear conscience. I need you to be here when I get back!" She pleaded softly, the tears flowing with out embarrassment.

Zac grimaces unsure if he can promise such a thing. They are both going into insurmountable danger, their lives would be in peril. If it was fated for either of them to die, their was absolutely nothing they could do to prevent it.

Could he lie...just to ease her heart.

Bending down he places feather-soft kisses at the sides of her mouth. Smiling with satisfaction as she moans and tries to slant her lips over his. Needing him to reassure her with his love, that he would survive all this.

"I promise...I'll be here when you get back." He whispers against her lips.

For her sake he would endure the uncertain future ahead and he would do what ever was necessary to prevail. He would never intentionally hurt her, or break a single promise.

She slipped her arms around his waist, arching herself against him. Her lips encouraging his desire, sweeping over his lightly. The kiss is soft, passionate and loving. Lingering and teasing his mouth with her own, as if they had all day. Then her lips are pressing anxiously against his, persistent and demanding, as her tongue darts out to lick his lower lip.

Coaxing him to open his mouth, sweeping inside to tangle with his. Her middle finger's lacing in the belt loops of his jeans, the rest of her hands splayed over his back. Touching the hot, bare skin of his back under his white t-shirt.

He pulls back, still holding the sides of her face. His eyes glazed with lust, and a huge smug grin plastered over his face.

"Wow..." He murmurs against her smiling lips. "Your really good at that.."

Amy blushes and darts away, needing to reclaim at least a sliver of dignity as she was now ready to break down into full out sobs. Yanking the back door open on the remaining jeep and pulling out her pack, jogging into the underbrush with out a goodbye. She just couldn't bear to say it...

Kane had already slipped back into the driver's seat, when Zac tossed his cane into the passenger side. His physio was going smoothly, his body getting stronger, movements less stiff and clumsy. He was ready to get rid of that damn cane already.

Hanging onto the top of the door, he eased himself into the jeep. Casting Kane a curt look as he settled himself and latched his belt.

Kane kicked the jeep forward, speeding away down the narrow mountain pass eager to catch up to Hollywood.

"In love huh?" Kane tossed Zac a meaningful look.

"Truly, Madly, Deeply." Zac quipped.

"Ditto..." Kane huffed, a huge grin spreading over his face.

A few minutes later the girls were moving at a crisp pace amid the trees, crossing a long rope bridge that spanned a deep ravine. With the twittering of birds and rustle of golden monkey's echoing in the back ground of the forest.

It was hot and muggy, a mist swirling low over the ground. As they climbed upward along a winding goat trail that wove back towards the steps that led up to the mountain gate. Circling around the periphery of the parking lot, keeping to the tall grass. They moved slowly and as silently as possible. Surveying the covered military transports lined up in the parking stalls, with soldier's ushering haggard looking civilians inside.

"Looks like their evacuating the mountain?" Mina commented, her cool blue eyes narrowed. Peering through the tall scrub grass, surveying every movement of the military within the large parking lot.

"Do you think the Queen already attacked?" Raye gasped, staring up through the massive open gateway towards the natural steps beyond the Pagoda arch that guarded the mountain.

"It's a possibility? " Amy mused. "We could be confronting her army far more quickly then we like, once we start climbing those steps?"

"What choice do we have!" Lita snarled, "We either fight her now or later. I say we take the fight to her front door just like our princess planed."

Serenity looked up in surprise into her fierce green eyes.

"I remember, Princess. I remember everything, thanks to my loss of control last night." Lita locked her eyes with Serenity's. There wasn't an once of regret there, just a burning conviction to see this battle through to the end.

Mina thinned her lips into a tight smile, hating that her past lives still eluded her. She desperately wanted to remember.

Trying everything she could think off to try and resurrect those lost moments.

The fact that Raye and Amy were now gripping Lita's shoulders in an act of solidarity only infuriated her more.

"Lets get this show on the road!" MIna growled, standing up and breaking cover as the squealing tires of the twin jeeps exploded into the parking lot.

"That's our cue." Serenity motioned them forward, hunching down and jogging along the edge of the parking lot towards the gate. Staying as hidden they could in the grass, ducking and crouching as they moved along the front of the parked cargo trucks.

The jeeps spun and weaved through the gunfire and shouting soldiers. Making as straight of a route as they could towards the open gateway. Crashing through the entrance kiting several armed military personal in their wake. The harsh sounds of snapping branches followed as the jeeps crashed out of control through the under growth. Leaving the rest of the parking lot in a state of chaos, with terrorfied civilians and alarmed soldier's trying to regain order.

With the remaining soldier's good and distracted it was easy for the five girls to slip through the now unguarded gate and dash away up the steps. Disappearing up the path to continue their journey towards the Celestial Temple at the summit.

"Did you know, that Fanjing is the highest peek in China." Amy stated absently from the rear of the group. They had been climbing up the winding well used path for the last couple hours. "It's situated at the intersection of three counties. Jiangkou,Yinjiang, Songtao."

Mina rolled her eyes and groaned but kept her peace, adjusting the strap of her hiking pack on her shoulder. It had been digging in mercilessly for the last hour. Raye marched just behind her, glancing worriedly over her shoulder at Amy. Who had her head down, watching intently every step she made in her beige hiking boots.

"In 1986 it was listed as one of the first natural reserves in China. Brought under the protection of UNESCO'S Man and Biosphere program." She kept on, unrelentingly. With the amount of information she had absorbed last night in her research, trying to distract herself. Having a photographic memory was useful at times, this time it proved to be a curse. All her mind could focus on was every detail of Zac's jeep careening down the mountain. Out of control and skidding

amid the pines and boulder's as Kane attempted to keep the wheels gripping the loose earth.

Serenity released a soft sigh, slowing her gate and moving out of formation. Allowing Mina and Raye to push ahead, while she came astride Amy. Silently reaching for her hand and entwining her finger's with hers. Seeking to offer her comfort, strength and support through the subtle contact.

Amy never broke stride or her lecture, squeezing Sere's hand tight. So very grateful for her dear, sweet friend who's compassion was unmatched. Knowing with out words how to comfort the stoic, academic. Who never willingly sought out comfort from other's, dealing on her own, in her own silent ways.

"This Mountain became a sacred buddhist site during the Ming Dynasty. " Amy continued, falling silent for a moment when Raye responded.

"We were there, Amy." She smiled sadly.

"It was over three hundred years ago." Amy breathed in awe. Lifetimes...so many lifetimes...

"It the was the life in which the Silver Crystal was reborn." Serenity smiled, tenderly. "From a single tear drop, when my beloved and all my dear friends died before my eyes during a battle on this very mountain."

"So much History..." Lita commented from the front of the line. Shaking her head in disbelief as those tragic memories resurfaced in her mind.

"I want to fucking remember!" Mina howled, shaking off Raye's comforting hand from her shoulder and storming up the path.

"It's as much a curse as it is a blessing." Lita called up to her, giving the worried Raye a curt nod that she was going to go talk to Mina. Increasing her stride to catch up to the furious blonde.

Amy merely blinked, her worry over Zac being alive or dead twisting in her gut. Unwilling to take on more things to think about she continued on.

"The mountain is a magnificent sub tropical environment, boasting ancient bridges, temple ruins, echoing caverns, rare plants and all manner of wild life. From the golden monkey to the dove tree. At the peek it has steep stone pillars supporting a huge square rock, known as the Pile of 10,000 books. The landscape if full of mysteries, such as the Buddhist light, the projection of human shadows upon the heavy fog and the reflection of the moon upon the sheer cliffs at it's peek...known as the Moon Mirror."

Raye sighed and hung her head, resigning herself to the long exhausting day ahead. With Amy's voice droning like a walking, talking National Geographic as they trekked upwards through the relentless heat and billowing jungle mist.

They had been catching sight of soldier's marching along the steps, more and more often the higher they went. Having to duck off the main path and hide as they stomped by. So going off the primary tourist route seemed in their best interest. They should have reached the summit by evening, but being delayed again and again by evading the military greatly cramped their itinerary.

So, as the afternoon lengthened into dusk, Serenity led them off the main path and onto a narrow, buddhist trail that pushed deeper into the trees. Ascending more steeply up the mountain towards a sheltered cliff. Holding the wood and stone relics of a lost temple. The remains of once sturdy walls leaning against, wooden beams and pillars or crumbled away into giant hills of stone. They quickly set up camp in the weak shelter behind the crumbling walls. Started a fire and ate their supper in silence. Everyone was so drained both physically and mentally.

"You think we should set up guards tonight?" Lita offered, setting down her empty bowl on a nearby flat stone. The firelight casting her grim face in deep shadows, as she surveyed the trees behind them. The eerie sounds of creatures calling from the darkness, making the hairs along her neck rise with anxiety. She was a creature of the big city now, she hadn't been camping since she was in high school. The fact that they were in the middle of nowhere on the side of some foreign mountain top only heightened her discomfort.

"I guess..." Mina mumbled around a huge bite of sandwich, glancing over her shoulder nervously. "Wouldn't want any surprises in the night." They had all discussed several theories as to why the military was evacuating the mountain and on constant patrol. Coming to the same conclusion.

Onii were now loose, roaming the mountain side...

"I'll take the first shift, then I'll wake you in a few hours Lita." Mina announced, gathering up the empty plates and bowls.

Raye cast her a worried look as she promptly left the warmth of the fire, heading into the trees after her girlfriend. Then followed her discretely towards the fresh water spring a half mile away from camp.

Serenity watched them leave with a heavy heart. Then bid Amy and Lita goodnight, retreating to the relative security of her tent with the three cats in tow.

Crawling into her sleeping bag, still fully clothed, only taking off her tennis shoes and set them by the front flap. She tucked her nose into the collar of Darien's t-shirt and took a big comforting sniff. Allowing his soft scent to lull her into a deep if troubled sleep.

" _So many sad memories...I wish I could erase them all for you my darling daughter."_

 _A voice floats through the darkness like a loving whisper. The very same voice that had halted her soul and b locked her from rememb ering her first life._

" _Mother...?" Serenity calls b ack her voice weak and uncertain._

" _He cast a spell on you, I could not b reak." Her soft, smooth and elegant voice called b ack to her as the sheet of_ _complete darkness b egan to lighten into a melancholy demi-light. Pale, b lue white pillars shone in the distance. Drawing Serenity to walk slowly towards them._

 _Glancing down as she felt the feathery light material of her pearl white gown, sliding over her striding legs. She gathered up the long flowing hem in one hand, moving more swiftly towards the ancient ruins._

" _As Gods we were charged only to guide and witness the earth's struggles, never to involve ourselves in their lives. It is_ _forb idden for us to interact with the human's. We reigned over them only in the act of worship. The love you held for the b eautiful planet Earth. The intense curiosity you had to meet and understand it's people finally got the b etter of your common sense. You fell to earth for the first time upon your sixteenth year." As her voice floated around her, Serenity spun in a circle within the center of the ruins. Taking in the lonely devastation with a deep sadness._

" _You were lost to me for over a week, even your Senshi could not find you. In the end it was Prince Endymion's_ _pilgrimage to my Celestial Temple that drew me down to earth as well. He offered to lead your Guardian's to your side for my aid. Such a pompous, arrogant Prince. Believing he could b arter with the Gods. His kingdom was in turmoil during that time, reb ellions had b een b looming upon the four b order's of Elysian...the Heavenly Kingdoms were falling and the reb ellion encroaching towards the capital. I offered my services with out question and sent down your four Senshi to retrieve you." Queen Serenity sighed._

" _But it was already to late. His deep b lue eyes, so similar to the fathomless b lue of his planet had left you spell b ound._ _You would secretly use the Moon Mirror to spy on him, as he fought valiantly to maintain order in his crumb ling Kingdom."_

" _You promised to aid him mother!" Serenity shouted. "But you welched on your side of the b argain. You sat upon your_ _immortal throne and did nothing while the reb ellion grew and devoured the four b oarder realms of his kingdom." The memory was so sudden, so starling it shot through her mind like a b ullet._

" _I am a Goddess! I am b ound b y greater laws then human hub ris." Queen Selene's disemb odied voice seethed out._ _"Human kingdoms come and go, it is the future of the whole race I focus on."_

" _How selective your memory has b ecome! You tried to conquer his kingdom!" She cried b ack in anger, as more selective_ _memories surfaced in her mind. Each one slashing painfully through her human soul._

 _Her accusation was met onl proud and uncomfortab le silence from her mother._

" _Every human soul is precious and deserves to b e free to make their own choices! They are not cattle, or lifeless chess_ _pieces for you to play with!" Serenity growled b ack. But her mother continued to ignore her rising ire._

" _You would descend again and again. Breaking every law, every tab oo in a naive attempt to repair his diseased people,_ _his failing Kingdom. You even dragged your Senshi into the conflicts down on earth."_

 _Queen Selene continued venomously, ignoring her daughter's righteous words outright._

 _Serenity took a deep b reath, casting her face up to the eternal star scape ab ove. Her eyes searching the endless expanse for any sign of her Goddess Mother. This celestial judgement she felt she was under, b ecoming unb earab le._

" _You fell madly in love with that Prince, offered him your heart, your soul and your innocence. Dooming b oth our_ _kingdoms to fall." Queen Selene sighed heavily. "I was so b linded b y hatred of him and how he had lead you astray. Your_

 _were to b e my heir, I was going to leave the Silver Millennium and the Silver Crystal in your care and return to the Cosmic Cauldron and take my rightful place among the Progenitor's. So distracted b y your b etrayals and reb ellions that I didn't see the darkness secretly invading the earth and my own kingdom in time."_

" _So you b lame me!" Serenity cried up to the heaven's in contempt._

" _It was to late to save our kingdoms...in the end the gods went to war against the Earth. And my kingdom tore itself apart._ _While the hearts of the human's corrupted from within b y the darkness, sought to steal my power. And, no I never b lamed you. I was angry and hurt b ut I have never b lamed you. I take responsib ility for what happened to me, to our kingdom and the curse you and all the people you love have endured for the last ten thousand years."_

 _Serenity b owed her head in shame, her mother sounded so very tired and full of grief._

" _What really happened..." She called up into the darkness._

" _You will need to discover the truth b ehind the secrets, my dear. Of our long dead kingdom, your true past, your former_ _lives and the elusive power that flows within the Silver Crystal." Her voice b egan to fade away, replaced with the frantic screams of her friends and the b rutal sounds of comb at._


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Serenity's heart lurched into her throat, as she swiftly unzipped the nylon flap and exploded out of her tent. Crashing through the trees in a mad scramble towards the spring, the three cats racing at her heels. The night was warm, the sky overhead clear and full of lonely star light. As she searched the sky and looming trees in panic.

She could hear the rapid fire of gun fire behind her, up on the upper ridges of the mountain. The military had started advancing up to the summit. Heading for the Moon Mirror, the Onii coming down colliding with their patrols.

Ahead of her, the darkness flashed into sudden brilliance as balls of lightening exploded above the tree tops. Fire licked the sky far off to the north, while sharp streams of light snapped from a ridge to the east. Her friends had been split up, each in combat with their own powerful foes. They way they were going all out with their powers, she figured it was with some of her mother's Generals.

She entered the small clearing before the natural spring more cautiously, catching sight of the fountain of water rising from it's rocky cradle up into the night sky above.

Mercury stood strong upon the levitating stream of clear mountain water, using it's source as a means of travel over the treetops and steep ravines. She also used it as a means for ammo, to shoot bullets of ice upwards into the sky. Serenity stood transfixed upon the elemental battles now raging all over the mountain. So high overhead and far in the distance she could not see their attacker's. Only knew that each of her dear friends were now in a life or death battle. That they had played easily into the enemies plans to divide and conquer.

"Four of mother's generals..." A soft voice floated from the darkness beyond the trees.

Serenity spun around, the three cats hissing in threat.

As Rini emerged from the shadows, a smug smile pulling on her lips. Dressed in her dark gown, her lavender wings as mysteriously beautiful as twilight, tucked away along her back.

"Her army advances like a unending tide of death down the steps, this inadequate human army will be annihilated by sunrise. By morning we will take Tongren, you will be dead and I shall have the Silver Crystal's full power at my disposal. Then the people of that city will have to decide. To either join me, and serve in my rising kingdom or face their death like the stubborn military fools up on the ridge."

"Rini...We have to stop this." Serenity pleaded, taking a small step towards the young woman. "If you have even a shred of Princess Serenity's soul inside of you. You know that she loved this world...she never wanted to conquer it!"

Rini started to laugh, her voice jagged and harsh. "I have been chosen to rule this world, not you. Mother has deemed you lacking. I have no intention to go against her this time, I love her like a true daughter should. She shall become my council when I become Queen and will help me protect this planet. Unlike you...who did nothing but argue and betray her. Stealing the Silver Crystal from her dieing grasp, after you sought to destroy her."

Serenity gasped in horror, the memories of the last battle with her mother still enshrouded in fog. Only the intense emotions she had felt during those final moments of life, having any clarity.

"I was the one who died..." Serenity whispered, shooting Rini a fierce glare. Her false accusation of murder burning inside of her. What had been a ploy to force doubt and uncertainty into her heart only fuelled her rage. "I WAS THE ONE WHO DIED!" She shouted in sorrow and betrayal, calling forth her own ascension in a flash of holy light. The winds of power now howling around her body as her white gown appeared and two pearl white wings exploded from her bare back.

Rini laughed snidely, shooting into the sky. "Come and finish your rebellion, Princess. She awaits you within the ruins of her once glorious temple. Try and destroy what is left or your poor, mother. Who did not deserve what you did to her! " Her taunting voice carrying down to the clearing as she disappeared into the star scape.

"Princess..." Luna cautioned.

"I will finish what I started...I will end this." She stared up at the looming rock spires of the summit, her blue eyes gleaming with a fierce determination. Then she shot into the sky, her wings spread wide as she caught the night wind and swiftly disappeared towards the summit after Rini. She knew she was just playing into her mother's plan as well, but

Darien was waiting for her up at the summit. She knew deep in her heart that this was the proper course of action to take. She was never going to run from him again, she was going to fight for their love. This time she was going to win...

"Luna?" Artemis's voice was soft and full of worry.

"We will see this through as well." Luna gave Artemis a curt nod, before dashing off into the trees.

Artemis passed Diana a measured look, they were not to get involved in Princess Serenity's confrontation with the queen. They here as guides only, the Progenitor's wanted the Princess to prove her worth with out help. Diana ducked her head and raced after Luna, choosing sides in an instant.

"This is not going to end well..." Artemis hung his head in defeat and jogged after his two companions.

The base camp that had been set up in the parking lot before the Mountain Gate. Was now transformed into a sea of military communication tents, ammunition bunkers and camo laden jeeps with artillery mounted on the upper roll bars. Soldier's patrolled the periphery of the camp, eyeing the surrounding trees nervously. The air was crackling with tension, and everyone in camp was strung tight waiting for the end of the world to take shape. The echo of weapon's fire vibrated down from the mountain in frenetic burst adding to the mounting stress level of all the relief personal currently being given rendezvous orders. The chinese military were being swarmed up on the high reaches of the mountain passes and were losing ground quickly. They needed reinforcements but the northern half of the military was still being rallied. What was left of the troops stationed in the south west of the country were being given a very ambitious but stern pep talk. That they had to maintain their ground and keep the monsters contained in the mountains till their reinforcements came.

Three American men sat on the ground in front a wide beige tent flap, in the diluted glow of a camp lantern set before them. Dressed in casual hiking gear with their hands cuffed behind their backs, watching the soldier's rush about the camp.

Hollywood kept a keen eye upon the captain and first lieutenant, hunched over a map in the tent behind them. Arguing in chinese while a small contingent of field officer's stood at ease along the side of the table. What ever was happening up on the mountain their campaign was not going well.

"This sucks, This sucks, This sucks..." Zac growled, pulling on the plastic zip ties the soldier's had locked over his wrists since being pulled out of the trees. He had a gash along his left temple, dried blood now smeared into his dusty blonde hair line. A good sized bruise now swelling beneath his left eye when his face caught a soldiers left hook while trying to resist. Hollywood and Kane how ever, who had never quit cage fighting, managed to take out several soldier's before being overcome. They were bruised as well, Kane with a cut lip and Hollywood with good sized gash across his nose. The damage obtained not by fists, but the rear metal stocks of their automatic rifles.

Kane snarled and roared like a trapped lion, when lightening arched out of the west. Bathing the sky in a blanket of sharp, blinding light.

"Fuck this...We gotta get up there!" he wrenched on his bindings, tearing the skin of his wrists to bloody shreds.

The ground began to shake with the thunder of hundreds of booted feet, followed by the dull roar of engines. The three men glanced up, as the howl of rotor blades broke over the camp. A spot light illuminated the back end of the parking lot. As twin beams of head lights shone in the distance. Sending the camp into a frenzy, with soldier's scrambling to assemble a defensive line around the back of the camp. Training their rifles up to the sky as a American Black Hawk military helicopter landed abruptly in their midst.

The side door was thrust aside sharply, with a full squad of American soldier's spilling out of the back compartment. Combat helmets on, their own rifles now trained on the Chinese, creating a silent mexican stand off that was only raising tension to it's breaking point.

The Captain and his first lieutenant stormed out of the tent and through the camp with another squad of soldier's flanking around them. As they neared the defensive line of artillery, a Female officer with long, wavy midnight black hair, pinned back with a chunky black barret. Breezed out of the passenger seat of the cockpit. Dressed in full American military camo combat flack, a dark green beret perched on her head, with various insignia designating rank and division upon her shoulder's and chest of her jacket. She carried herself with a formidable grace. Broaching no doubt from any of the soldier's under her command or the enemy ranks currently training their weapons on her. That she couldn't handle herself on the battlefield.

"Howdy, fellas. Enjoying your stay?" A smug, arrogantly familiar voice whispered from the side of the tent.

As several american cargo, transport trucks rumbled into their midst from the road before the parking lot.

All three of the them shot their gazes away from the military confrontation and back towards the voice.

Finding to their relief and chargin, the absent Jed now back in their midst. Crouching out of view at the front of the tent, in full american military camo as well.

"What the hell!" Kane growled.

"Where have you been, you coward!" Zac exploded, uncaring about being tied up, so over come with rage at his brother for just disappearing. He had been so worried, because Jed seemed to have completely fallen off the map. Never contacting him, which wasn't like him at all. The anger eating at him for the last few weeks. Then drowning in regret that he would never see the man again. Never get to say goodbye, because he was going to die here on this mountain. He jumped to his feet and lunged for him, head butting the blonde man right in the gut. Swearing and trying to beat him senseless with his feet, struggling to keep his balance as his hands were still tied. While Jed laughed at him and dodged his awkward attempts to kick him.

"Settle down, bro...com'on settle down." Jed raised his hands in a truce gesture. Giving his twin his signature cocky half smile. "Lets post pone my much needed beating until later." He advised, pulling a large survival knife off his utility belt.

Hollywood and Kane quickly stumbled to their feet, allowing Jed to cut them free.

Zac stood glaring heatedly at his brother, as Jed refused to cut him loose. Just standing their looking at him reflectively, as if judging if cutting him loose was in his best interest.

"Jedadiah..." Zac hissed, narrowing his hazel eyes threateningly.

"Just kidding bro." Jed chuckled, cutting him loose then dodging smoothly out of his reach as Zac made a wild swing with a fist for his jaw.

"We have no time for this gentlemen. I suggest you three go get suited up." A stern, no nonsense voice boomed behind them commandingly.

Jed smirked knowingly, as Hollywood, Kane and Zac turned to greet the same raven haired Field Commander that had exited the helicopter earlier.

"Sergeant First Class, Irene Tanner. " She held out her hand for Hollywood to shake.

Hollywood held her stare, shaking her hand respectfully. She was middle aged, with strong yet graceful features. The strain of long nights and many burden's darkening the skin beneath her eyes. The deep blue, flecked with silver that seemed to glow with a vitality not her own.

"Welcome to the Rebellion boys." She curtly gave each one a nod, bracing her hands behind her back before entering the tent after the Chinese Officers. It seemed they had come to some kind of agreement of aid.

"Jed..." Kane asked, his tone hard.

"Long story, tell you guys all about it while you get suited up. Basicly, I headed back to the burned down Hyatt hotel to try and get my head on straight. Instead, I got recruited by the rebellion. " Jed clapped the larger copper haired man on the back and lead them back to a set of cargo trucks and range rover's now parking at the back of the cement.

A few minutes later the helicopter's engine ignited with a humming roar, the rotor's beating to life, cutting the air as they spun ever faster.

Hollywood and the other's rushed out of the back of a cargo truck now dressed in full camo, heavy military boots and helmets. Rifles of their own strapped to their back and a utility pack of supplies bouncing upon their broad backs.

Jogging across the camp, to catch up to Irene. Who was striding with purpose back to the helicopter, adjusting the heavy strap of her rifle over her shoulder's as she went. The far off sounds of gunfire still echoed, drawing Zac's eyes up from the cement to the mountain passes above. Catching sight of a stream of water rocketing across the southern ridge.

"Amy..." He breathed, as the blinding flare of light exploded from the west.

"They are fighting for their lives up there." Jed clapped him on the shoulder, " We need to move, brother. Your girl needs you."

Zac nodded, his eyes burning with anxiety as he watched that hovering stream of water disappear over a steep rocky cliff.

As they reached the open cargo doors of the helicopter, a brilliant beam of silver light shot into the air from the summit.

Followed by a sonic boom, that expanded outward, flattening the forest in it's wake down the mountain.

"We need to go NOW!" Irene shouted, her voice tight with distress. Hanging onto the inner handle of the cargo door and pinwheeling her free arm to get the men moving quicker.

They ducked their heads under the gail force winds kicked up from the rotor's, climbing into the hold swiftly.

The helicopter lifted into the sky before the back door had even fully closed. The four men sat shoulder to shoulder on the back bench, two veteran soldier's crouched against the side doors on either side of the cargo hold. Rifles cocked and ready to fire, their eyes scanning the desolation below and pillar's of fire shooting into the sky to the north of the gate.

It truly looked like the end of world was beginning.

"What's the plan?" Jed shouted to Irene, who was crouched in front of the them, her back pressed against the pilots seat. Shouting order's into the pilots ear and pointing to the various discharges of elemental attacks dispersed around the lower passes of the summit.

"We are headed up to the Summit. " She narrowed her eyes, the cool commanding glare broaching no argument.

"What about the girls?" Zac shouted back, searching through the side window for any trace of Amy's water attacks.

"My daughter is now fighting that darkness alone at the peek of Fanshing. I have stayed away long enough." She growled, unlatching the locks on a long, narrow artillery box that abutted against the co-pilot seat. "You four are perfectly capable of back tracking down the paths to aid the girls. My daughter needs me." She finished, pulling out a long, heavy object wrapped in ancient cloth. Stained and greyed by time, she reverently unwrapped an ornate petrified stone sword. Testing it's weight and girth as she balanced it in her hands.

It had taken her lifetimes to retrace and unearth this sword from it's unmarked grave. The time had come for her to fulfill her true purpose. The steel in Irene's gaze as she glared up at that pillar of light shooting into the sky at the summit, was not lost on the four men seated before her, she intended to end this war once for all.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Mercury Rising**

The jungle surrounding her was alive with hundreds of nocturnal animals. All calling into the darkness in agitation and fear. She had been fighting for her life, for most of the night. Unable to gain any advantage against this formidable Genesis Soldier. Who seemed able to maneuver with as much speed and agility as she could. While she had to use her elemental powers to fly threw the air, her channel of water becoming thinner and less forceful the further she travelled away from its source. Her enemy never seemed to lose strength, this other woman seemed to levitate without any sort of aid. Ducking through the trees and keeping pace with her. All the while throwing balls of electricity, at her relentlessly

The ferocity of their battle was causing chaos and massive panic amongst the local wildlife. While Amy attempted not to disrupt the landscape, by aiming her water attacks only at her pursuer. Her enemy was far less interested in conserving the Mountains natural habitat. Her energy bolts vaporized trees in great swathes of dark light and gouged through the mountain side with out remorse. Leaving a path of death and destruction in her wake.

Now the air was heavy and so concentrated with dark vapour that it swam in Amy's eyes. Breathing was damn near impossible, yet she fought for air none the less. The heat was oppressive and it weighed down upon her like concrete. Her stubborn will to never give in when confronted with adversity, had emboldened her resolve to win. The whole world was counting on her to protect them, her princess was fighting upon the summit and needed her. She had to deal with this foe quickly and get to her side.

At first she had been focused on capturing the rogue Genesis soldier that had attacked her. Finding quickly enough that they were evenly matched. As the battle raged on and she became more desperate to end it. Her assaults became more driven towards killing her. So consumed with the need to finish this fight. She had charged head long into her trap.

Amy could hear the high pitched tittering laughter of her adversary. Obscured by the suffocating darkness and the thousands of obstacles of looming trees, rushing towards her. Mercury hovered cautiously upon a spout of water, that she was using to fly threw the jungle. Using the water in the very air to keep her airborne and propel herself at high speeds over the canopy. Marvelling at how incredible her powers had grown in only a few weeks. Her abilities to control her element was seamless now. Making her an agile and formidable opponent.

Darting her gaze anxiously around the jungle before her, desperately seeking out her target. Her eyes always darting back nervously to the summit, as another volley of silver light illuminated the darkness.

"I never dreamed that in less then a years time. I would find myself embroiled in a war, like this." Her enemies voice echoed out from the trees, bitter and sardonic. "I never saw myself as a warrior, hell. I have never even been in a fight before." Her laughter was loud and manic. "I was an honour student in my last year of High school for gods sake. I had been working on gaining scholarships for Top Universities. I wanted to be a computer science major...get a job at Nasa or something. " Her voice sounded sad. She went silent for a long time then she screamed out in rage. "But Yui Bido is dead...only Viluy remains now!" The sudden explosion of harsh sound sending the nearby birds into flight. They called back at the assaulting noise in both fear and irritation.

"I shall capture your soul for my Master! The soul of a Solar Guardian would have immense energy. Then your empty body would be a perfect hoste for our darkness..." Her voice exploded from the right.

Amy turned just in time to avoid her electrical charge. The bolt of void energy she cast from her twin gauntlets around her wrists, narrowly missed her head. Forcing her to dive towards the trees, she moved so abruptly the beam ended up sheering off the split ends of her hair. She had no way to defend herself this time. As the malicious undercurrent of power that lay hidden in the energy charge dissolved into the water stream beneath her feet. The nano virus hit the water and dispersed upon contact. Using the natural current to spread threw the water infecting Amy on an elemental level. The Guardian of Water screamed in agony as what felt like millions of tiny predators began to devour her on a molecular level. Her connection to the water was severed, as unbearable pain burned through her entire body. The water fell away, drenching the trees below for miles. As she was left screaming and careening out of control towards the ground.

Amy's mind as reeling, Viluy had been spouting all night about her Master and their plans to dominate the earth. But never had she mentioned the Queen? Was this Master...Queen Selene or was someone far more sinister pulling even the mighty Queens strings...this plot of infiltration and corruption went far deeper then she had ever imagined.

The four men and two marines had left Irene on an upper ridge and moved stealthily through the jungle. While the lone

woman had began her assent toward the summit, with the ancient sword in hand. They moved down the mountain, closing in on the nearest elemental battle. A lanky, keen eyed sniper from Alabama. Ryker Maxwell. Who wasn't Genesis Born, just one of many mortal's who had joined the ranks of the rebellion.

His reasons were his own and the four men did not press. He looked barely twenty five, with shaggy blonde hair held down by a black, nylon skull cap. His blue eyes were as hard and cold as steel. Dressed in all black flack, he resembled one of Beryl's murder squad then a marine. His outfit was rather unsettling for them and Hollywood kept giving him odd, distrustful looks. Ryker took position upon the edge of a rocky cliff, training his rifle on the distant trees in the gulley below. Were random shards of ice exploded amid the treeline, slicing through the ancient trunks and ricocheting into the darkness of the jungle.

Adjusting his scope he zeroed in on the enemy. A young woman who stood pompously over the writhing body of the Water Guardian. If he had seen her under different circumstances he might have never figured her for a trained killer. She had a sweet face with wide crystal blue eyes. Straight, shoulder length, pale blonde hair and long bangs. That brushed low over her eyebrows, giving her mild mannered beauty a very alluring undertone. She resembled a wholesome girl from Alabama. The girl next door, the friend of your little sister...not some she-demon bent on world domination. Dressed in black leggings and a frilly, pale blue mock dress that hung off one shoulder. The loose hem fluttering in the hot breeze. She had no weapons to speak of, just two heavy silver gauntlets adorning her slender wrists. Strange etchings glowing with dark energy along their metal surface.

Maxwell took a long, deep breath as sudden movement caught his eye to the right and left of his main target. He held up two finger's and then pointed them towards the last volley of ice. Signalling that he was going to survey the surrounding area through his scope.

An older man, dressed in green fatigues. With a grim, weather worn face and black hair shaved close to the scalp crept up beside Maxwell. His name was Coletrane, that was all he offered as an introduction.

He adjusted his semi-automatic rifle as he crawled up beside Maxwell.

"We got two other targets moving in on the Water Guardian's position. One from the west and the other from the east." Maxwell reported.

"Fuck!" Zac cursed, striding towards the edge of the ridge intending to scramble down into the trees and reach Amy first. But they were a good half mile away, so he quickly leaped over the cliff and began to slide out of control down the mountain side. Barely keeping his footing, he scrambled down the loose sandstone, disappearing into the wilderness below.

"God dammit!" Jed exclaimed, racing after his half cocked brother. Making a crazed dash over the side of the ridge and sliding into the trees as well. Unslinging his own automatic rifle from his back as he went.

"Oh, very professional." Coletrane groused, "Can you take out the two targets before those two idiots completely break our cover?"

"I got this sir, continue on." Maxwell, licked his lips and adjusted his grip on his rifle. Training his sights on the closest threat.

Cole nodded and rose back up to his feet, he held up a fist signalling for Hollywood and Kane to follow him. He led them north towards the arching lightening now setting the sky a light.

Hollywood and Kane cast the jungle behind them a worried last glance before jogging off after Coltrane. The girls had been split up all over this ridge, if they wanted to save them, they had to split up as well.

Maxwell watched as the two brothers crashed threw the trees. Moving headlong at a reckless pace towards the woman hovering mockingly over the downed Guardian. Maxwell's expression was one of intense concentration as he found his Onii targets now converging upon the two men. Squeezing the trigger once as the men disappeared into the heavy gloom that lurked beyond the fringe of vegetation, deep in the gulley below. Then he shifted his body just slightly taking another shot with his next breath. He knew with out a doubt that both shots hit there marks. As the dull thump of two large bodies rang out over the stillness of the night.

He had tracked the Guardian's out of control decent, when the sudden burst of dark energy from the jungled canopy had clipped her. She had fallen deep in the jungle beyond the ridge, screaming in agony. The land had then become deathly still after that. It took every once of his training to continue to lay low and allow those two civilian men to handle things in the obscurity of the trees. Irene had explicitly told him and Cole to stay at a safe distance, that these men could handle the Queen's soldier's far better then mortals. He had learned years earlier not to question her. She was far wiser and

more strategically cunning then he could ever be. If these men were her ace in the hole then he would just sit back and let things take their course.

He repositioned himself on the ridge so he would have Jed and Zac's path into the trees within his rifles sights. He lay on his belly, rifle up on it's supports and steady. He needed to keep track of them and what happened next. Sergeant Tanner wanted a full report. Both men were fearless, as they moved to protect the Guardian of Water. Headless of the danger they were putting themselves in or perhaps resolute to their eventual deaths in confronting a Queens General. They surrounded the young woman, rifles drawn.

Five seconds later a thunderous explosion shook the ground to the north. Multiple fireballs scotched the jungle canopy from a few miles away. Then a brilliant beam of light illuminated the jungle to the west, creating an eerie dawn that bathed the sky for a few moments. The other Guardian's were still fighting valiantly all around them. The intensity of their power and the real danger of being killed instantly sent a sharp bolt of fear through him. Maxwell cleared his throat, he had been a part of military actions all over the world. But nothing could compare to the raw, fear shivering through him at the unearthly power these women were unleashing all around him. He was literally facing goddesses, ancient and timeless. It was humbling and terrifying at the same time.

Machine gun fire erupted from all around him. Maxwell swallowed hard, keeping his position and monitoring the battle now raging between the two men and the sweet faced General. She had formed an invisible barrier, by crossing her two gauntlets over her breast. As both Jed and Zac released their clips, sending a wave of bullets at her.

Amy had used their distraction to crawl away from Viluy, seeking a good hiding spot. She was in so much pain she could not defend herself at this point and Viluy could kill her at will now.

She couldn't think straight...anymore. Her whole existence had been reduced to just enduring the pain. She had curled up into a tight ball on her side, in the darkness of the sheltered skirt of a nearby pine. Hugging her knees to her chest. As she rocked back and forth, a constant motion she used to attempt to soothe herself. As her insides felt as if they were tearing themselves apart. The pain was excruciating, penetrating every pore of her body. It crawled over her flesh, leaving a searing punishment in its wake. Burning through every nerve, every muscle. Devouring every cell in her body, slowly consuming her entirely.

She closed her eyes tight, as she rocked harder. Sweat bathed her entire body, making her skin itchy and damp. She shivered uncontrollably as her body and mind went into shock. The ground felt cold, despite the oppressive heat and humidity. That coldness seemed to seep into her very bones. Chill bumps broke out over the surface of her skin as the world once again faded away.

 _No one living, b y the time of the Silver Millennium, knew how or whom had b uilt the Tower of Eternity on Pluto. The massive tower of purest crystal jutted proudly into the sky from the b arren surface of nitrogen ice. It's multi facet composition shimmering like diamonds, amid the dusk tinged atmosphere of swirling clouds of methane and carb on. This majestic tower was old when even the most ancient tales were b eing sung at the very b irth of the Silver Millennium. The fragile lattice work of crystal that dominated it's structure seemed to have had a natural growth, as if the structure had sprouted from the very core of the planet itself. The many platforms and turrets glistened in the half light as if it was a mirage. It's surface seemed half in and also have out of this reality. The legendary tower was a paradox, much like the Guardian who was posted there. Forever standing at the Portal of Time at the apex of the tower._

 _This ancient outpost lay on the very edge of the Silver Millennium. A b eacon of warning to the unknown Cosmos that lay b eyond. That the most powerful of the Solar Guardian's stood at the gates and would defend her Kingdom for all Eternity._

 _Mercury sought to end her pilgrimage threw the Outer Planets at the very edge of the Silver Millennium. Needing answers, needing counsel and perhaps aid from the three Lonely Guardian's. She had already spoken to the Guardian of Uranus and the Guardian of Neptune. Neither could offer her any resolution to the questions that plagued her._

 _So she now found herself standing upon the upper most platform of the primordial tower. Staring forlornly out to the vastness of space. She had never travelled this far out b efore, b ut she never dreamed that the sky ab ove would b e so b arren. Not a single star shone down, it was a b lank, empty darkness that created a deep sadness inside of her. She felt suddenly ab andoned, lonely and insignificant under that faceless night._

" _Mercury..." A low, resounding whisper vib rated at her b ack._

 _Mercury turned slowly to greet the Guardian of Time. A mysterious goddess of timeless origin, who had guarded the Time Portal hidden within the upper chamb er of the Tower since time b egan. Dressed in the simple grey rob es of a Temporal priestess. Her b are feet b rushed the frozen crystal floor so lightly, it was as if she was merely floating towards her. Her toes peeking out b riefly b eneath the long, flowing hem at every step. The wide flowing sleeves seemed to b lend into the rob e itself, as if it was a single fluid garment draped over her slender b ody. Her hands, wrapped intricately in b lack_

 _ceremonial cloth. The cloth streaming in great length from her wrists, anchoring her hands to the shaft of her long staff. Knotted there and held tight to the delicate silver shaft of her talisman. Holding it in a naturally defensive pose across her ab domen with b oth hands. The mighty Garnet rod was as ancient as the tower. The b lood red jewel upon the ornate crown of the staff shone as if a planetary core churned within. Pluto held herself humb ly, her posture strong b ut unassuming. She moved at an unhurried pace, unconcerned it seemed ab out the plight of the present._

 _Pluto was slight, almost delicate in her b one structure. Barely as tall as Mercury herself, who was the shortest of the Inner Guardian's. With long deep violet hair the color of dusk that hung straight and full like a cape down her b ack. Her face was exotic, her skin tone a dusky tan. With vib rant, gentle lavender eyes, that could see into the vastness of Time and Space itself._

 _Keeping eye contact with her was incredib ly difficult, her gaze was so intense and disconcerting. Her eyes seeming to pierce right through her, peeling away all her secrets. Mercury quickly found herself averting her eyes to the crystalline floor._

" _I am no longer a Guardian. Maia is fine." She corrected._

 _Pluto took in her commoner's garments with disinterest. Maia was dressed in the simple cured leather pants and a soft b lue b louse with ruffles around the wrists. A heavy navy b lue cloak was clasped with a silver b rooch around her neck. With an over stuffed travel pack slung across her b ack, with a b ed roll tied and hanging low on her hip. She resemb led an earth peasant more then a Solar Goddess. Pluto already knew her plan was to disappear on earth and aid the mortal reb ellion against the Moon. She needed no clarification of that fact._

" _I see." Was Pluto's response. Turning on her heel and striding b ack into the inner chamb er of the tower. Her reaction was that of b leak acceptance. As the Goddess of Time she understood with out explanation what Maia was going to do. She could neither stop time or affect the future with out consequences. Every living thing was free to do as they will. It was forb idden for any omnipotent b eing to oppress or enslave them. Which made accepting fate so very hard for Pluto to deal with sometimes. Because the natural laws of life and death did not include her. If Saturn was destined to awaken and b ring the final end to the Silver Millennium. All Pluto could do was watch all that she loved pass away into history. Forever to mourn the loss._

 _Maia followed the Guardian inside her inner domain with a heavy sigh. Pluto's deep melancholy was oppressive, it clung in the very air of the tower. Dampening her spirit with woe and misery._

 _Pluto's sanctum was a mythical place, held in the hearts and minds of all who lived in the Silver Millennium. It was a place of great power and untold wisdom. It was the hopeful cry of the b eginning and the mournful lament of the end. She never dreamed that she would ever find herself here. Perhaps if she was still a Guardian and could fall b ack on that distinction. She would not feel so unworthy, stepping into Pluto's sanctuary._

 _A cavernous, circular room stretched out b efore her. Bordered with massive pillars and archways of purest crystal, the open rotunda ab ove stretching out of sight. To the dark vault of the empty darkness that lay b eyond the tower seemed to glow within the open skylight.._

 _A crystal carved mosaic was etched into the floor. Primordial symb ols of Universal majesty and intricate designs that were foreign to her. They were mysterious and quite intriguing. If she had the time she would have love to research each one and decipher their various meanings._

 _In the very center of the room was the Time Portal. A simple set of white, doub le doors. The ornate frame, carved with the planetary symb ols of the eight planets. The frame ab ove the door dominated with the phases of the moon._

 _That simple door was the seat of power for the Guardian of Time. She was charged to stand guard b efore it for all time. To protect the Silver Millennium from intruder's who had the powers to traverse b oth time and space._

 _The isolation these outer Guardian's faced was heartb reaking. Pluto had b een left alone and ab andoned upon this far off out post to watch over the Silver Millennium or all eternity. The grim reality of her sacred duty, gave her pause. Maia found herself staring mournfully at the retreating Guardian of Time. As she resolutely took her post b efore the door. Her expression stoic and unemotional. As she watched Maia cross the great room towards her._

 _Maia had come seeking answers, with hope b urning b rightly in her heart that perhaps she was wrong. That the Moon Kingdom's fall was not immanent. That Pluto may hold the keys to their salvation. The remarkab le power she possessed to see into the future was exactly what she was needing. To save her Princess from a horrib le fate. She needed to know what to avoid, what to do from now on to guide them all to a b etter future. Sometimes hope is enough to keep someone alive, to keep them fighting when everything seems insurmountab le. This b arren, lifeless outpost held a deeper sense that here, now. Lost in the monotonous, endless landscape of ice and empty space was a place in which miracles could_

 _still happen. Perhaps lurking dormant in the depths of Pluto's time portal, waiting to b e found b y the intrepid, the patient or perhaps the desperate._

 _Maia took a steadying b reath, as she crossed the vast room toward the doorway._

 _The hope she had kept alive during her travels here, b lossoming anew in her chest._

 _Over the course of her tenure as Mercury, she had seen the many signs of doom. The first sign had b een the Sun. The energy within their mother star had b een extremely unstab le over the last decade. As if the great star was shivering in fear. Ominous looking sun spots had b loomed across it's surface. They covered the surface as a dark and foreb oding b lemish, that diminished it's once pure light. The disturb ances roiling and shooting into space like great spouts of hell fire._

 _Then soon after the unrest b egan to swell within her own planet. Driving her into the great underground lib raries of Mercury to seek answers. She had disappeared for months within the great lab yrinth of tomb s deep b eneath the iron surface of her planet. Lost to miles upon miles of lib raries. that were filled with the ancient collections of histories, prophesies and timeless wisdom from all over the universe. Meticulously stored and cared for b y the Scholar's who sought their enlightenment and the mighty Sages who guarded the secrets held within._

 _As the civil discourse b egan to expand and infect the neighb ouring planets. She had little time to dwell within the dusty tomb s after that. Charged to quell one reb ellion after another, keeping a tentative peace within the Silver Millennium. In that time of unrest her precious princess had grown up and found a forb idden love. Further distracting her from her true quest, as all her free time was now spent chasing after her. As she descended to earth time and again to see the Prince of Earth._

 _Her princess's small acts of defiance against her mother, was disconcerting. As she had always b een so easily controlled b efore. As her disob edience continued, b ecoming more b old and defiant. Mercury had b een left playing counsel to a desperate Queen, who felt her grip on peace was slipping along with the allegiance of her own daughter._

 _As the same civil unrest now cast it's shadow upon the Moon. She had fled to the furtherest reaches of the kingdom desperate for answers. She felt the darkness of war had crept up to the very door step of the Moon Palace. In the guise of a tyrant King and his Wise Man._

 _The final strike upon the Silver Millennium had come in the guise of a Meteor shower a few months ago. Now the Golden Earth Kingdom was gripped in a madness. Its people had turned away from the Gods, b laming them for their suffering. In the aftermath an all consuming reb ellion had washed over the earth. The four outer kingdoms had fallen into chaos first. The survivors seeking aid and protection within the central Kingdom, Elysion. The population within the central kingdom had swollen to unb earab le numb ers within months. Straining the Golden Kingdoms resources and stretching its military to their limits. Civil war had ravaged the earth. Now the last mortal kingdom was b urning and the river's were running red with the b lood of the innocent._

 _An unknown Queen had come to power. Rallying the disgruntled populace to her b anner in droves. Denouncing the Gods and instigating further reb ellion against the Golden Palace. Her ranks were growing and soon Endymion would lose all control over his planet._

 _At this point she had exhausted all other avenues to save the Silver Millennium. This was her final gamb it to get the future b ack on track. Sometimes though, one needed more then hope. One also needed a good reason to go forth into the unknown with out fear._

 _Princess Serenity's future happiness was more then reason enough for her to fight fate._

" _What is this darkness that threatens us?" She confronted Pluto b efore her post. The elegant white door remained closed,_ _b ut the low hum of power emanating from the Temporal vortex b ehind was formidab le. Maia's proximity to the the doorway was so close, that it vib rated through her b ody, sending a nervous shiver down her spine._

" _Since light exists then so too, does the darkness. One can not exist with out the other. It is an inevitab le truth that light_ _and dark shall struggle for all eternity. Calling out to one another as twin forces always yearning. Creating an endless round of suffering, as they seek to dominate the other. So we must remain vigilant and protect the light, lest the darkness consumes us." She stated, her words would seem pompous coming from another. But Pluto's tone was so straight forward, she was merely stating fact._

" _But you were not vigilant enough!" Maia shouted b ack, pacing b efore the doorway in growing agitation. She had come_ _here for answers not ob ituary truths she already understood. She had b een a Guardian, she understood what was at stake if she failed in her duties. What she needed to know was how...how was this silent, insidious darkness ab le to sneak_

 _past the Outer Guardian's watch. To grow and infect the whole Solar System?_

 _Pluto licked her lips and regarded her cooly. Her face was stone, b ut her eyes shone with guilt and remorse. "Since Time b egan there has b een the Tau. An astral swarm of energy of infinite darkness, that light can not penetrate. It has no physical form, an entity out of phase with our reality. It lives in the space b etween time. So it must seed itself within vessels. It needs the hosts energy to survive and feeds off the discord already festering in the hearts of all who live. It is the hosts dharma that b ecomes the fuel of destruction."_

" _So did you sense the Tau's infiltration of this Star System." Maia was furious, b alling her fists tight at her sides as she_ _stalked towards Pluto. Who seemed dispassionate to what was happening to her Kingdom._

" _I was distracted..." Pluto thinned her lips, casting her head down in shame._

" _By..." Maia growled._

" _Our Sun...was sick. " Pluto b egan, "I was to focused upon cleansing the darkness within and never noticed the darkness_ _without."_

 _Her words were cryptic and vague, making Maia grimace in confusion._

" _I do not understand." She sighed._

" _The rogue planet that haunts our b orders has set all this misery into motion." Pluto sighed heavily._

" _The Dark Moon..."Maia growled. Pluto merely nodded._

" _I have my theories. That they lured the Tau." Pluto gripped her staff tighter._

 _"Did they infect our sun with malicious energy?" Maia questioned._

" _The darkness inside our sun is an ancient evil, sealed within it's fiery depths since b efore Queen Selene's reign." Pluto_ _grimaced. "I do not know if the King of the Dark Moon empowered Metallia's awakening. But you suspect as well as I that his Wise Man has his own agenda, that far exceeded Demande's thirst for power."_

 _It was Maia's turn to nod. "Demande is threatening our Queen with a Dark Crystal as powerful as her Silver Crystal. If those two forces were to collide, our Solar System would surely b e destroyed."_

 _Pluto glanced sadly towards her Time door. She had seen many fates ahead for all of them. It woul long, hard road to redemption from now on._

" _Why couldn't the Lonely Watch exterminate the Tau b efore they b reached our b orders?" Maia questioned. Both Neptune_ _and Uranus had many manned outposts, capab le of defending the b order._

" _Most of the Lonely Watch has died off defending their posts in the last few years. An unknown plague, perhaps. Or_ _merely killed while defending their outposts, I can not say. Only the Guardian's Neptune and Uranus remain." Pluto stated._

 _Maia gave her a distasteful scowl, uncaring if she came off as a judgemental hypocrite. Pluto had failed in her duty and now all of the Silver Millennium was paying the price._

" _Would you squash something small and insignificant just b ecause it exists?" Pluto inquired somb rely, she was not_ _defending herself, just stating fact once again._

 _Maia was instantly flustered and took a step b ack._

" _No...I...would never kill something weaker then myself unless I had no other choice." She responded. "But this small_ _amount of darkness has grown out of control. Our Silver Millennium is posed to tear itself apart!"_

" _I gauged the Tau's threat as minimal and chose to focus on the greater threat b rewing in our sun. I would deal with the_ _intruder's later, with Uranus and Neptune at my side." Pluto's eyes were drawn inward in deep contemplations. "I never foresaw this fate till it was to late."_

 _Pluto had the good sense to look truly ashamed of her poor judgement. Then quickly steeled her expression, b ehind a stoic mask._

" _Neptune or Uranus...did you not seek their council b efore allowing these creatures to enter our b orders?" Maia huffed,_ _crossing her arms defiantly over her b reasts._

 _Pluto took a deep b reath b efore responding. "The Tau are b orn from dark energy, yes, b ut they are an infantile lifeforms. Barely sentient, an astral creature on the level of that of an earth insect. I felt their influence would b e minor and easily dismissed. That they would merely pass through our Solar System and then disperse b ack into the Cosmos. I b elieved our people were incorruptib le. That they were pure of heart and their loyalty to our Queen was inflatab le. I never dreamed the Tau's discord would influence so many, or b ecome so powerful.." Pluto valiantly sought to explain, as if admitting her failure would ab solve her guilt. Finding Maia staring in appalled confusion none the less. So Pluto sought to continue, seeking to get her to understand or perhaps convince herself that her intentions had not b een malicious. She was not infallib le, even her judgement at times could b e faulty._

" _Both Neptune and Uranus are not powerful enough to sense them, I felt their counsel was unwarranted. Since I was_ _preoccupied, purging the sun. Asking them to hunt down and destroy the Tau would have b een pointless." Pluto admitted sadly._

" _Those b orn of the light can b e honourab le creatures, seeking only peace and enlightenment. Or slaves to their Dharma,_ _easily corrupted b y the darkness. Gods are no b etter then Mortals in that respect. We are merely a higher life form. " Pluto gripped her staff tighter, seeming to fight with her own inner demons for a time. Before continuing. "While corrupted mortals will weep, and b ewail their lot. Cursing the Gods for their ab sence, they can do little harm b eyond their own_

 _b orders. Corrupted Gods however will use their immortal powers to dominate all others weaker then themselves. All for the sake of Peace." Pluto took a deep b reath b efore she continued. "We were meant only to ob serve and govern over the planets as a b enign pressence and nothing more. The down fall of Selene's kingdom and all who she protects has b een preordained since Serenity's b irth. The fate of the Silver Millennium is up to the princess now. " Pluto finished, her tone flat and logical. "I have seen twin fates and multiple futures ahead for us all. I can not stop this or change what it is to come. But I can aid my princess, b y offering you this." She lightly b rushed her fingertips upon the surface of her Garnet orb . The crimson surface rippled as if a still pond had b een disturb ed. As her fingers and then her hand, slowly pushed b eneath the surface of the once flawless orb . The light inside dimmed, the orb b ecome dull and lifeless. As she pulled forth a tiny lavender jewel that she then offered it to Maia, with a sympathetic, humb led smile. There was no way to ab solve herself of her role in the Silver Millennium current plight. But she would do all that she could to aid her Princess in the b attles ahead. "Our kingdoms redemption now lays with the Holy Sword of Sealing. Use my star seed to re-create the unity we have since lost. I have b een watching our kingdoms slow demise under Selene's rule for the last decade. Our Queen's light has b een tainted. She has b een corrupted b y her Dharma. Her purity has faded and her just mind has b ecome frail. She has succumb to her sins and can no longer lead us within the light. A powerful darkness has seeded itself in her heart and whispers to her like a seductive lover. Twisting her mind and b urning away her purity. I have since rescinded my loyalty to our once b eloved Queen. I now pledge myself to Serenity, may she save us all from this great darkness."_

 _Amy...Amy...Amy..._

She focused on that one word...her name perhaps? Her own voice sounding harsh and brittle, that name a litany upon her own lips. She felt if she didn't repeat it, she was sure to forget and the pain had already made her forget so much.

My name is Amy.

Some of the panic subsided, as she managed to hold one vital piece of information. Then pain and nausea welled in her stomach with now found vigour, twisting her belly into tight knots. She found herself on her knees, retching forcefully towards the damp earth. Her arms wrapped tight around her middle, as she sucked in deep breaths and tried to focus her thoughts. She closed her eyes again seeking to conjure the image that might giver her comfort. She didn't know if he was real, but as long as she could see him she found hope. She needed to believe that beyond the pain lay her salvation. He was her guardian angel. He hovered on the fringes of her shattered mind. Tall, strong, with a gentle smile and warm green eyes. He was honourable and smart. A warrior, her protector.

He would come, he would save her...

Her hope was washed away as another more powerful surge of pain seared through her body.

"Oh, God!" She heard herself scream, as the agony became unbearable. She was going to die! She couldn't take the pain. Fear lodged in her throat, and she tried in vain to breathe around it. Her chest burned with the effort as she rocked faster.

A huge explosion echoed like a far away thunderclap. The ground shook beneath her and she threw her arms over her head. The sound of gunfire rang out all around her and fear clutched at her raw and unrelenting.

She could hear herself screaming, loud and fierce. She was in so much pain, her body was shutting down and her mind was going numb. Her cries sounded distant and she had become detached to her own suffering. Then another's voice began screaming in tandem with her's, drowning out her own cries. As the misery of being eaten alive finally began ebb.

The millions upon millions of microscopic predator's retreated from her body in waves. Falling away like a silent tide, until she was left cleansed and panting in relief.

She glanced up, finding the forest around her was a blaze. A massive inferno had erupted around them. The wildfire was devouring the landscape, tongues of flame ascended for countless miles into the night sky. Creating a flickering dawn that was blinding her. She ducked away, squinting her eyes as she noticed a silhouette standing against the orange glow. By it's height and more muscled form she knew it was a man. He seemed big and menacing, dressed all in black flack. His features drawn and made ghoulish by the moving shadows of the fire and smoke. His rifle swept the trees nearby, before he focused all his attention upon her.

Amy had never felt so drained, so weak and vulnerable before. She whimpered deep in her throat, wrapping her arms protectively around herself. He must be part of Beryl's rouge military, sent to kill her. At this point she was so wiped both mentally and physically she had no energy left to even crawl away.

"Jesus." The man swore. "My name is Maxwell, I've come to help you."

Amy flinched, as the man called Maxwell turned his head sharply and spoke into some kind of walk talky. That he was wearing clipped to his left shoulder.

"I've got the Water Guardian. We are South, south east of the Celestial Temple. I need back up and some major cover to extract her." He snarled into the receiver then looked back at her. His expression was that of concern not anger. He crouched down and started to reach for her. His movements slow, cautious. As if worried she might hurt him, or even kill him with her elemental powers.

In her current state of confusion and exhaustion she could only throw her arms over her head and shrink away. Amy closed her eyes and accepted what was to come.

Hearing the man above her swear softly, she chanced a peek from under her arms. Seeing him standing again nearby, he was looking towards the inferno searching the burnt and blackened tree line. His strained profile illuminated by the fire, raging out of control along the ridge.

A few seconds later a second man burst from the trees. He was covered in soot, the dark grey dust stained his pale skin and clung heavy to his wavy blonde hair. Dressed in the green uniform of the American Infantry. His green eyes were intense, when his stricken gaze settled on her. A rifle hung low on one hip as he limped forward, his left arm cradling his midsection.

Her mouth dropped open shock, noticing how damp the fabric was. He had taken a grievous wound to the stomach and his shirt was clinging and matted against his abdomen with his blood.

He cautiously knelt before her and extended a hand to help her stand. "Amy, it's me, Zac. You gotta keep fighting...she needs you."

He knew her name. Her guardian angel knew her name. She began to shake harder, her teeth chattering loudly in her head. Her thoughts were sluggish and muddled. Residual pain still gnawed at her traumatized nerves and muscles, making moving difficult.

"Zac..." She croaked out, reaching for him in desperation. He gently folded her against him, holding tight. "I need you to be strong...and fight on with out me now."

"No!" Amy wailed, wrapping her arms around his neck and refused to let him go.

"I killed her...her own weapon shorted out and consumed her body..." Zac swallowed, his eyes were haunted. The last few images of her writhing in agony as her body dissolved in front of him was the most horrifying thing he had ever seen. But he knew that that fate had awaited his girl if he didn't stop the Queen's General. So he had sacrificed himself, rushing her as a distraction. As his brother fired his automatic weapon at her bracelets. Several bullets had ricocheted off the metal and struck him in the stomach. He had put on a brave face, hiding his wounds. When Jed departed deeper into the woods to track down the next Guardian. He never blamed his brother, he owed him for saving his beloved. She had a real chance now to change the world. Zac's throat was dry from the acidic air and was starting to burn. His voice sounded weak and brittle in his own ears.

"Shit, Zac. Can you make it back to the chopper?" Maxwell hissed. "It's over three miles back and that forest fire will be on your ass the whole way."

"I can make it, it's not to far and I am not that far gone." Zac lied, pulling away from Amy and giving her a warm,

reassuring smile.

Her eyes were still unfocused, but the tears streaming from them was breaking his heart. She was still slightly out of it, staring with mystified eyes between the two of them seeking answers.

Zac touched her cheek, then slowly rose back up onto his feet. Fighting to hold his expression neutral, even though it hurt like hell. "Trust me, Babe. I'll be ok. Take her to the summit!" he commanded.

Maxwell scrambled up beside her and swung her over his shoulders into a fireman's carry.

"I got this." he stated, moving forward in long strides. His admiration and respect for Zac increasing by the moment. Max fumbled with his sniper rifle with his free hand, charging up the over grown trail that would lead them back to the main road.

Rattled by Zac's mortal wound and overwhelmed by all that had happened to her tonight. Amy was left only to focus upon the pain the now wracked her body. As Max jostled her upon his shoulders. She was bathed in a heavy sweat. Yet she had never felt so cold in all her life. As she watched Zac fade away into the burning trees. Leaning heavily against a blackened trunk, unable to hold up his courageous front any longer. She felt in that moment that she was saying Goodbye for the final time. It shredded her inside and left what remained of her heart, a tortured and bleeding mess. She couldn't hold in the anguished sobs. Her body convulsed and trembled against Maxwell's shoulders, no longer strong enough to hold back her pain.

She was going to lose him...

Zac was left watching her disappear up the ridge with a proud, accepting smile across his face. He slowly closed his eyes as the deadly heat of the inferno as it hit him square in the face. He was to far gone, he hadn't the energy or will power to outrun the fire. The light of the fire was to intense he was unable to protect his eyes. Its light glowing a brilliant red from beyond his eyelids, blinding him anyway. The ferocity of the blaze was beyond comprehension, as it swept relentlessly up the ridge. Devouring all that it saw and burning it away to ash. Leaving nothing living behind in its path of destruction.

Amy surroundings spun in a dizzy round, as Maxwells shoulder dug painfully into her belly. Until bile rose and ate at her throat. She was consumed by her grief, it gnawed at her soul. Destroying her hope and leaving her wishing to join her lover in death. She didn't want to keep fighting...she didn't want to go on living! How could she, she had just lost everything that made her life worth living.

All around her the world had gone mad. Fire blazed, gunfire peppered the ground and the trees around her. Then a crack of thunder exploded over head, the world was seared by white light and then she was flying threw the air again.

Pain, both physical and emotional ripped threw her. Dark spots danced in her vision, she swallowed repeatedly to keep the nausea a bay. Panicked and overwhelmed by grief and anxiety, her chest felt trapped in a suffocating vice and she could barely breath. She kicked and flailed as she was tossed into the air, desperate to control her coming hard landing. Squinting as a constant stream of sunlight burned the sky at the summit.

"Serenity..." She whispered, as her mind finally began to clear.

She hadn't lost everything...Her true purpose was clear and precise once more. She would protect her princess this time, avenge her true love and protect this planet. She had no time to wallow in her loss. She had to remain focused on her true goal...to destroy that great evil that threatened peace. The air snapped around her, as twin wings erupted from her back. Pale blue and shimmering like the water on a clear lake. Her shoulder length dark hair once free and wild upon her head. Was now styled in a elaborate celtic knot around her head. Her Senshi armour shimmered into reality once more. A blue leather bodice hugged her breasts. Leaving her well toned stomach bare. Matching leather pants with a low waist, wrapped around her slender legs. A large utility belt was hung off her left hip. On her right hip a silver hook hung from her belt. In which her talisman hung, a glorious harp. Its pale blue surface shone like newly forged glass. Humming with an ethereal power beyond mortal understanding. Sleeveless long coat snapped along her back. Fluid silver plated shoulder guards gleamed in the faint light of the moon. She had ascended into her full Goddess form. Whatever evil was attacking her princess at the summit, she was now more then prepared to confront it.

"Zac...please...I can't do this with out you..." She ground out between clenched teeth, her tears drying upon her cheeks.

As she caught an updraft, shooting like a bird of prey towards the very peak of mount Song.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Mars Asscending**

Jed moved swiftly through the darkness, jogging down the mountain at a break neck pace. He adjusted his pack, scanning the trees ahead. Looking for any sign of her. He had caught sight of many smaller animals, even a deer cowering in the underbrush. They had all ran for cover higher up on the ridge when the forest was set a blaze. The wild fire Raye had started now burned a quarter of a mile away. It was a beacon he used to navigate towards her location. He was on his own now, after leaving his brothers side. Zac's girl was safe and but she still needed him.

While he was needed elsewhere. Raye wasn't his girl, far from it. She was already taken, by the blonde

Guardian...Venus. It was crazy kinky for him, to image sharing a bed with both of those gorgeous women. But hell, ever since the dance back at the hotel when they had flirted with him. He couldn't help but dwell on some very sexy scenarios concerning those two. A night with them would have been amazing...but sadly it wasn't meant to be.

But he couldn't help the nagging feeling that he was supposed to be the one to rescue Raye. That this was his destiny. His gut told him to hurry, that he needed to catch up to her before dawn. The hairs on the nape of his neck rose and apprehension slipped down his spine. The sounds of rapid gunfire nearby and the elemental fury of lightening surged through the night sky. Illuminating the mountain side briefly, before fading away. Jed stopped abruptly and dove for cover behind a large boulder.

It wasn't that he feared confrontation with the Queen's Onii. But he gripped his rifle all the more firmly, as the rumble of thunder ebbed into the distance. In truth he wouldn't hesitate to kill any bastards that might threaten Raye. She had enough to deal with, just fighting off the Queens General. Amy's battle was proof enough that these Generals were crazy powerful and would take everything they had to defeat. He needed to keep the weaker pions off of her, so she could focus of fighting her real adversary. He just wasn't going to seek out confrontation.

It was this knowledge, that she was in danger and fighting for her life that spurned his feet forward at such a hell bent pace. He needed to end this fight, needed to clear the way for her to get to the peek of Mount Song. So she could save the world.

He continued down the narrow trail of loose stone and scrub grass, scanning the area in a vain attempt to track her. When she ignited her fire attacks earlier it was easy to pin point her movements. The inferno she had called forth had laid waist to the landscape, forcing him to take a wider route around the mountain to get to her side. But as suddenly as she had called forth that incredible wall of fire, it had suddenly been extinguished. The roiling fires had collapsed in on themselves and withdrawn back to their source. Leaving Jed floundering in the darkness amid a burnt and barren landscape. The night had turned quiet and deathly still after that. It was as if the once bold and fiery Guardian was in hiding...or dead? That thought chilled him to the very core.

Jed was sure he was close though, it had taken close to an hour to navigate down to this ridge. His gut was screaming and he never ignored his gut. It had kept him alive more times than he could count over the last few months.

He paused when he heard a small noise in the distance. He turned scanning the area, then he saw them several large bodies were moving stealthily through the trees. He didn't know if they were friend or foe but he wasn't going to find out.

Damn it!

He curled his hand more tightly around the stock of his rifle, adjusting his grip. Where the hell was Raye? He didn't have time to play hide and seek with Onii who were more and likely after her. He needed to grab her and get the hell out of dodge!

He aimed his rifle and silently moved in the direction of the noise. Ideally he didn't want to shoot up the whole damn mountain and leave bodies lying everywhere. He didn't have that killer instinct, he had given up Mixed Martial arts back in high school because the aggression level in the ring had become more then he could handle. He would love to be the perfect soldier, running into danger guns blazing. Saving the damsel all heroic like. But in truth he would rather find Raye and make a stealthy exit, leaving the killing to the professionals. After the horror he had witnessed with the last General, as she was eaten alive by her own weapon. He felt he might never be able to fire upon another living person ever again. It had left a very sick, toxic feeling in his heart and his memory would forever be scared by her gruesome death.

A frantic cry in the night froze him momentarily. He lifted his head to capture the faint echo of pain and desperation fading

in the distance. It was a feminine cry, one that sent chills down his spine. There was a hell of a lot of anguish and fear in that now small sound.

Raye...

Jed began to run, slinging his rifle over his back so his arms could pump harder. Needing to close the distance between him and that painful cry. He tore threw the trees, headless of the danger ahead. She was over a hundred yards ahead and he needed to get there now! He charged the remaining distance his gun up and ready.

Exploding out of the tree line and onto a barren outcropping of ashe and looming stones. The night sky flared to life high above upon the peek, illuminating the darkness to a fake day. Only to fade away as if suddenly snuffed out by a greater power. Leaving Jed standing prone and somewhat blinded by the sudden change. He stumbled onward blinking and shaking his head, needing to refocus his eyes to see in the all consuming darkness again. At first he was shocked at the sight of a charred body in his path. It was curled up with its hands clawing at the heavens, as if the silent moon might offer it mercy at the end. He swallowed hard, knowing that this woman whom ever she might have been had lost the fight to Raye's indomitable powers.

As he ran past the corpse, coming to a sudden halt before a drop off of sheer rock. That overlooked a small valley below. The moon shone down from the heavens, reflecting off the smooth rock floor far below. Near the rock face of the cliff only a few feet down, was a nameless slice of darkness. It hovered, shimmering in and out of sight, as if unsure of it's own existence. Jed's gut clenched as he stared down into that impenetrable darkness, searching in vain for Raye.

Who had so captivated him upon their first meeting back at the hotel. Her passion and unyielding personality had inspired and spurned him to do better, to be a better man. He may never be able to tell her what she had meant to him in the brief time they had spent together. But he would give all that he was to save her and never regret it. She was down there in that dark void, trapped and lost. He could sense her, it was uncanny but not alarming. With everything that had happened to him in the last few weeks since meeting her he wasn't at all surprised. He had been tracking her blindly through the forest, as if drawn to her by a magnet.

He could feel the grim determination that she would prevail, that she would over come this darkness and kill the person who had trapped her there. But there was also fear and desolation gnawing at the corners of her resolve. It was like a tangible pungent scent in the air. It tightened every one of his muscles, gripped his heart and squeezed it relentlessly.

He had to get to her...He had to find her and lead her back into this reality? Dropping down onto his belly, he pulled his gun up and locked it into his holster at his hip.

"Raye!" he screamed in vain. His voice quickly absorbed by the darkness below and consumed by it. His voice would not penetrate...

She was lost to the darkness and out of his reach.

 _Mars sat quietly in the corner of a dank, tiny cell. Brooding in the darkness, she had long since lost track of time. She could no longer tell if it was night or day. For all practical purposes, she had b een locked in a stone and mortar b ox. The power of her star seed sealed away when she had b een dragged down into this impenetrab le darkness. She had lost all her powers leaving her in a weakened, mortal b ody. Trapped in a tiny, airless hole that she knew not where? How long she had b een here, she had no idea. The demon queens forces had captured her and what remained of her army. After the massive explosion of dark fire had decimated Endymion's lands._

 _For the first week or so, she had kept count. Listening to the screams and anguish of her soldier's locked away in neighb ouring cells. Sure that her sisters in arms would come to her rescue. She had no illusions that they would just leave her here to rot! They would seek her out, storm these catacomb s...lay waste to this dark army and rescue her. They would not b lindly accept her disappearance...or presume her dead? No mater what they might have b een told._

 _But it had b een a long time since she had heard a call from the darkness, now a deathly silence reigned all around her. She closed her eyes and thought ab out her sweet, tender hearted princess. She must have felt so trapped b y duty, that her only recourse had b een to run. Seeking refuge here on earth, she had sought to hide from her mother from Demande...from her duty. She had defied her mother and forsaken her own kingdom for the forb idden love she found here on earth. It was a selfish choice, b orn of desperation. Mars understood it, b ut she could not condone it. Serenity had cast them all into the cauldron of war yet again. Both kingdoms were now poised for destruction and Mars couldn't help the resentment and anger that seethed inside of her. Demande was a hedonist and an arrogant fool. But he had the resources to save their kingdom, now he sought to ob literate them instead._

 _Sometimes sacrifices had to b e made! Serenity was duty b ound to protect her people, at the cost of her own happiness, her own freedom. But she had ab andoned them instead. Mars was so very angry and disappointed in her princess. That_

 _this terrib le end was thrust upon them all, b ecause of her selfish actions. She felt the b urning heat of her wrath surge inside of her chest, it seared her heart and made her whole b ody ache. With the deep penetrating hurt of utter b etrayal. She never thought that she would cast them all aside like this. With a tired groan and a strangled sob . She thumped the b ack of her head against the cold stone of her cell and willed the raging emotions now sweeping through her to settle. It did little good to scream and cry here in the darkness, no one would hear her agony and it only dwindled her reserves of strength. But in the end she had to admit the truth. She couldn't lay all the consequences on Serenity. Her Queen was as much to b lame as her princess, and it was tearing her apart. Where had things gone so very wrong? Why couldn't she have interpreted the signs of destruction quicker? In the end she also b lamed herself...for she had failed in her scared duties as well. She had b een unab le to protect her princess, or save her kingdom. She groaned in misery, waiting for the inevitab le to come._

 _She had tried to gauge how long she had b een held down here. Perhaps days, perhaps weeks? It was long enough for her to start losing her grip on sanity. Her mind wandering, unab le to stay tethered in this b leak reality. Finding solace in happier memories of the past. She sought to dwell in those b righter, more promising days as often as she could._

 _As she shifted, waiting for a fresh resurgence of pain. Her spiritual b ody had taken a massive b low, when the dark magic had hit. Its rage and hatred had struck her soul hard. Leaving her more fragile b ody stunned and in shock. She was offered no medical attention, for the physical wounds she had incurred upon the b attle field. Nor for the mental wounds that affected her soul when the Demon Queens spell had struck. Her soul was left uncleansed from the darkness she had ab sorb ed from the mystical explosion that had decimated her army. The darkness festered like a poison deep inside her soul, weakening her even more._

 _She was merely tossed into this hole to rot and wait and die._

 _She had b ecome numb or she had finally gone b eyond the pain. Hyperaware of her surroundings. She could feel each b ead of sweat as it rolled down her face, pooling b etween her b reasts. Her skin was wet and clammy. Her armour striped from her b ody, leaving her naked and even more vulnerab le._

 _She had b een living in agony for far to long, each moment had b een filled with suffering. But now the pain of living was just gone, leaving her in a hopeless state of apathy._

 _Upon accepting her death and that of the Silver Millennium she had found her peace. Her mind was now empty, as calm descended upon her soul. There would b e no future for her or her kingdom, they would all fade when the end came. Her long b attle was over and this cell of utter darkness would b e her grave._

 _She soon found herself laughing, her voice was hoarse and b itter. It was ab surd to think that there was any peace in hell._

 _But she was grateful for this moment of delusional joy, it gave her a reprieve from wallowing in her anger._

 _She eased herself down onto the rough floor and curled up tight into a b all. Her silhouette was lost in the deep shadows of the corner. Blending in with the darkness, she had b ecome invisib le, a small easily dismissed shadow herself. Fatigue held her in its relentless grip. What meager images she could make out in the darkness swam in her vision, forcing her to close her eyes lest she b ecome sick._

 _Then she felt a faint touch of another. As though someone was stroking a hand down her long hair. Whispers, like a gentle summer b reeze, drifted to her ears from just b eyond her prison._

 _ **(I'm here)**_

 _Mar's eyes snapped open in sudden fright. Scanning the darkness of her cell, her eyes wide and wary. Trying to see b eyond the rusted out b ars of her door. Her princess had spoken to her, her voice soft and sweet. As if she was truly sitting b eside her. Her eyes searched in vain b ut found no trace of her Princess. No darker silhouette that might show her pressence here in her personal hell. But she had just spoken to her? How?_

 _(_ _ **Mars...stay with me...I will not allow you to just give up and fade away. There is still so much to be done. )**_ S _he whispered to her, with the soothing voice of an angel. Mars felt some of the horror of this living death she had endured recede from her mind. If she could, she would wrap herself up in Serenity's holy light and finally b e at peace. She felt her princess smile. It was like a b urst of sunshine in her shattered mind. Then she felt her delicate arms surround her, hold her close...it was just like she had imagined her doing._

 _ **(Sleep now and know that I will save you)**_ _Serenity urged gently._

" _Stay with me," Mars pleaded as she slowly drifted off into a healing sleep._

 _In the days to come, Serenity's voice would visit her. Coaxing her failing b ody and mind from death, infusing her with_

 _strength, renewing her determination to fight and ultimately resurrecting her hope._

 _Mars was mercilessly awoken to unimaginab le pain. Her b ody was seized b y dark fire and went rigid. Her eyes flew open only to see the b lurry visage of her torturer. The women dressed all in b lack leather armour who had daily made every minute of her incarnation here, pure misery. A deep violet cloak was pinned around her neck, that snapped and b illowed like a rearing viper as she prowled into the cell. She wore a long b lack cloth hood that covered everything b ut her fierce green b urned down at her, searing her with the intensity of her hate._

 _Beryl wanted the Moon Kingdom destroyed, the Queen b owed and b roken b efore her. That visage of total domination made her more cruel, more driven then any mortal who had ever lived._

 _Mars's heart pounded in her ears, the very sight of her tormentor sending her into panic. She knew more pain was coming and was struggling to maintain her composure. Her eyes were already misting with tears. Her eyes kept darting to the woman's leather gloved hands, that were still smoking from the release of dark power she had used to wake her up. Those hands, had caused her so much unspeakab le pain over the course of her captivity. She regarded them cautiously, slowly b acking away into the stone wall of her cell._

 _Beryl stood impassively a hand on her hip. A slow, insipid smile crawled b eneath the cloth that covered her mouth. Mars could tell she was smiling b y the twinkle of mirth gleaming in her eyes._

 _Beryl enjoyed giving pain...dominating others under her will and controlling their fate. It gave her a sense of control she had never had growing up. From now on, no one was ever going to get the upper hand on her again. She finally had the power to protect herself and recreate her own world...one that would b e controlled solely b y her._

 _Mars saw her as a monster, if not in looks then in spirit. She was a twisted shell, a vessel infused b y so much dark magic she was no longer human. She did not know who the woman in all b lack was, only that she must take orders from the Dark Queen. The leader of the reb ellion here on earth that had decimated Endymion's lands and the four kingdoms of the Heavenly kings. Earth was in ruins and soon, if Mars didn't stay strong and silent the Moon kingdom would suffer the same fate._

 _Then with a flick of the woman's wrist the dark energy slammed into Mars again, it struck like a scythe. The searing pain slicing into her, like ice against naked flesh. Mars curled up into a tight b all as the pain ripped through her._

 _Her torturer stood over her, watching with pride as Mars clutched her arms across her stomach. Drawing her legs up to her chest when the pain b ecame to much, vomiting b lood, choking on it._

 _The scorching fire did not ab ate b ut intensified instead, b urning through every inch of her. The dark magic consumed her, took her b reath and left her desperate to find air. Mars collapsed to the dirt of her cell, face first, trying to scream, trying to b reath. She thought ab out Serenity, tried to find solace in the image of her, the sweet rememb ered sound of her voice. Then the pain took even that away from her._

 _The woman in all b lack pressed her b oot into the b ack of Mars's neck for a moment, grinding her face into the dirt for a moment. Then moved to crouch over her with her elb ows b raced on her b ent knees. Leaning over her prone b ody with an air of disappointment. Then she reached down and grab b ed a hand full of Mars's long eb ony hair and yanked her head up, forcing her to meet her eyes. She leaned in closer, hissing into her ear._

" _My, My, you have b een a stub b orn one. I have so enjoyed torturing you b ut time is short now."_

 _She crooned._

 _Through her pain, Mars cracked her eyes open to glare defiantly up at her._

" _I have told you that I would b reak you. That it would onl matter of time." She sighed and release her hair. Mars's_ _head struck the stone floor, having no strength to even lift her head._

 _The woman moved a few steps away, "Do you want the pain to stop?" She asked innocently. "All you have to do is tell me what I want to know."_

 _The question enraged Mars, she wanted to kill her...that would make the pain stop!_

 _When Mars did not respond, she merely shrugged and returned to the doorway._

" _That's fine, yo rave Mars. Hold your tongue and endure the relentless lash of my dark power. I can b ring you_

 _pain...I can give you even more pain..." She frowned, mulling over her methods of torture for a moment. "But perhaps we need a change of venue instead."_

 _The pain let up, b ut just a little._

 _Mar's gasped for air, as Beryl had recalled some of the dark fire, allowing Mar's to find her voice._

" _I will never give you the location of the Moon Portal." She growled out. "You might as well kill...me."_

 _Her tormentors face wrinkled into a snide sort of pout. As she came to crouch in front her again. "Why would I simply kill you? When you have b ecome my favourite toy?" Then she turned to face the door and snapped her fingers._

 _Mar's mouth went horrib ly dry, when two demonic soldier's dressed in the b lack and silver armour of the Dark Queen._

 _Dragged in her sister in arms...Venus._

 _She was in poor shape, having endured the same suffering as she had. Her once b rilliantly honey gold hair now hung limp and dull. Striped naked the same as Mars, every inch of her b ody covered in welts and cuts. Her skin was slick with a damp sweat, as if she suffered from a fever. She lab oured for b reath. Every attempt to draw air met with a wheeze and a faint rattle from deep in her chest. Her face was deathly pale, the only colour b eing the sickly b rown and plum b ruises that painted her jawline and neck. Her b ody looked weak and frail from malnourishment, hanging limply in the arms of her captures as they dragged her into the cell._

 _Mars had never known she had b een captured as well. Guilt and rage flooded through her at the sight of her b eaten and swollen face. Stripped of her armour, leaving her b ody vulnerab le to what ever physical assaults this Dark Queen had commanded. All wrought b y the hand of this vile demon woman in all b lack. Venus was shivering harshly, dark stains criss crossed her torn b ack. She had b een b eaten and whipped, the wounds fresh, the b lood b arely allowed to clot_

 _b efore she had b een dragged to the cell. The two soldier's forced her down to her knees in front of Mars. Giving her no choice b ut to look at Mars. Venus's b ody may look b roken b ut her spirit had yet to b ow. Her b lue eyes shone with determination and rage. She was waiting for the right chance to turn the tab les on their captures. When that opportunity arose she would give no quarter, leaving destruction and death in her wake as she strove for freedom._

 _ **(I'm here. Be strong. Please be strong. Do not let her defeat you.)**_

 _Mars could feel her princess in tears b etween their link. The helplessness and despair she felt b led through their connection and the guilt struck Mars hard. She had b een so overwhelmed b y her own pain. That the mental walls she had erected to protect her princess had b een torn down. Now all the horror's she had endured had b een laid b are to her princess through their spiritual link. Mars squeezed her eyes shut seeking to b lock off a measure of the atrocities committed against her. But it was no use, she neither had the energy nor the will to b lock Serenity. In that moment her princess knew and felt all that had happened to her since her capture._

 _The woman in b lack leather b egan to pace and demand the location of the Moon Portal here on earth. It was always the same question, followed b y pain when Mars would not answer. She had tried everything over time. Different kinds of torture, all the more heinous as her silence reigned. She had deprived her of sleep, of food, of water. When she grew frustrated with Mars ab ility to endure and not crack under the pressure. She would kill fellow soldiers from Mars's army, knowing she could hear them suffering, hear them b eg and plead for a mercy that would not come. Using their deaths as just another way to punish her._

 _Mars had seen and endured so much suffering. She had felt death would b e the only freedom she could choose. But now as the Dark Queen's soldier's b eat Venus mercilessly b efore her. She felt her heart finally b reaking, crumb ling away into nothing. Under the assault of her leader's sharp cries as they struck her b roken rib s._

" _This can all stop...with one word." Beryl offered sweetly, pacing b ehind her men. Her arms crossed b ehind her b ack, her_ _b oots clipping against the stone smartly._

 _Mars growled, forcing herself to keep watching her leader's b eating. Refusing to allow her emotions to show. Staring stoically at her b eloved sister, enduring this punishment with her. When she didn't respond, the woman in b lack merely nodded for her soldiers to continue._

 _Mars couldn't help b ut cringe. As Venus attempted to hold b ack her cries. That now came out like mewling whimpers, as they kicked her repeatedly over every inch of her b attered b ody. As she patheticly sought to protect her herself b y curling up into a b all._

" _This is so tiring...how heartless can you b e? As the Guardian of War I understand that you must hold a greater discipline_ _towards cruelty. That you may have seen, perhaps even participated in the unsavoury acts of torture yourself. All in the good name of Selene, mind you." The woman smiled mockingly down at Mars, crossing her arms over her b reasts in a very superior, very opinionated manner._

 _Mars took a deep b reath, b iting down hard on her lower lip to hold b ack a very caustic retort._

" _But honestly, I find your complete lack of compassion rather invigorating." Beryl gave her a sour smile, her eyes_ _gleaming with irritation. "How much more can you witness? At what point will you shatter completely?" Beryl waited a b eat, staring down at Mars. Who stared b ack in defiance._

 _Venus knew that she would never give the location of the portal. The dark queen had already taken everything that mattered from them. Their powers as Senshi, their dignity and even their b asic rights as living b eings. They had nothing left to lose b ut their lives and those didn't really matter anymore either. But she would never take their knowledge, that would always b e the only power they held over her._

" _Break her arms!" Beryl commanded her eyes deadly, her voice b ooming like cannon fire in the small room._

 _Venus's screams of wrath, instantly had Mars snap her eyes b ack to her sister. As each soldier twisted and b roke b oth of Venus's arms. Leaving her panting and b ent over in agony. Her face pressed hard against the cold stones, b oth arms dangling uselessly at her sides at odd angles._

" _Again, were is the Moon Portal? I have no more time for trifling or games. You will b reak or I shall continue b reaking_ _her!" Beryl declared, snapping her fingers._

 _One soldier quickly hauled Venus b ack up into a kneeling position. Holding her in place as the other soldier b egan striking her in the face with the b lunt side of his sword. Snapping her jaw with the hilt of his sword then slicing her cheeks with the sharpened b lade. Leaving her once flawless skin forever scared. Punching her in the face with his metal gloves until b lood ran like tears from her eyes, steaming down her face from her hairline. She gurgled and coughed on the b lood filling her mouth. Spitting up as much of the crimson fluid upon the stones as she could._

 _Mars felt that they intended to b eat her to death b efore her, a final horror to b reak her silence._

 _Rage b uilt inside her like a fire storm b illowing up from her very soul. Horror, fear and loathing...pain._

 _She wanted to kill them. For a moment she considered giving in, b ut knew that it would not alter Venus's fate. These were animals with out honour, b ound to a demon who felt no remorse for the suffering she inflicted upon others._

 _When Mars refused to speak, finally unab le to b ear any more. Glaring at the floor of the cell so fiercely as if seeking to dent the mortar with her very eyes. The woman who hid b eneath the violet mantle and b lack armour merely screamed in frustration and ordered her men to drag Venus out of her cell. Venus was no longer conscious, hanging limp and lifeless in the soldiers arms. Mars feared she might have stopped b reathing all together. Her b eating had b een so b rutal, and relentless. No human would have survived it. Mars wondered morb idly if it would b e her turn next? If they would seek to b reak Venus b y having her watch her b eing b eaten half to death?_

 _Mars b linked and stared glassy-eyed up at the woman, she felt dead inside and the lack of vitality in her gaze reflected it. She offered no show of emotion, merely glaring down at Mars, then swiftly departed her cell, slamming the iron door closed b ehind her._

 _Grief welled inside of Mars, she could feel the hot tears falling down her cheeks. Why were they keeping them alive? Why didn't they just kill Venus...or her._

 _Mars could not hold b ack the turmoil and it b omb arded her princess through their link. An intense mixture of determination to claim vengeance upon that vile woman. To kill her and all her men, who had jailed her for so long underground. Her desire to survive now, to b e free of this pain and know the warmth of the light once again. She hated how weak she had b ecome, self-loathing was sharp and b itter in her mind. She should have done something, said something even if it was false to aid Venus, to quell the b rutality of her b eating. But she had said nothing and now her sister lay somewhere nearb y in the darkness, suffering more then ever._

 _ **(It wasn't your fault. You can not blame yourself for her beating. Turn your hatred towards your jailers, the animals who deserve it. Not yourself.)**_

" _How are you doing this?" Mars demanded, in a low snarl. She was still in the grips of a terrib le rage. It consumed her,_ _even more then her pain. She knew her princess could feel it as well. It sizzled through their link and into her. Her wrath was white hot, nearly molten and b linding in it's intensity._

 _(_ _ **Take hope that I am on my way. I will save you!)**_

" _How can you possib ly save me?" The weary question escaped her lips in a rush of b reath. She expected no answer, she_ _b arely b elieved that all of this was real. Just her b roken mind, attempting to soothe her during her last days._

 _Then Mars's cell door b urst open with a resounding clang. She went completely still as two of her jailer's grab b ed her_

 _armpits and roughly hauled her to her feet. She b egan to laugh, it was a high pitched, hoarse and manic sound. As they dragged her from her cell, hauling her somewhere in this hell to endure more suffering._

 _Her laughter fell silent, as she felt her..._

 _Serenity..._

 _Her presence was undetected b y these soldiers. As her spirit followed her down the dank hall, that lay in the underb elly of the earth. She was afraid, terrified of what she was ab out to witness. Yet to determined to offer support, to endure the same pain as her Senshi. She remained at Mars's side the whole time they tortured her and when they threw her b ack into her cell. Mars crawled towards her corner, the same corner she huddled in day and night. There her princess held her, wrapped her arms around her and spoke soothing word of comfort into her ear. Serenity shivered violently in reaction to the torture Mars had just endured. The air around her was stale, damp and warm. Yet Mars quaked as chills raged up and down her b ody. She was in shock and sleep could not come quickly enough._

 _She closed my eyes and drew in a deep, shaky b reath. When the warmth of Serenity's power flooded into her, Mars gasped in alarm. Then moaned in b liss as her princess took her pain away. She didn't make a single sound, her jaw locked, her b ody rigid. Mars didn't think she was capab le of such feats? This power was the b lessing of the Silver Crystal...what had happened to Selene? How was Serenity now calling forth the glory of the Imperium Crystal?_

 _Her princess was focused solely on ab sorb ing all of her pain. All the while her troub led thoughts were screaming in Mar's head at the things she had survived. Guilt, rage, desperation...it rolled and tumb led b etween them like a b uilding storm._

 _When Serenity was done, Mars lay limply on her side. Her head tilted sideways as she struggled to regain her senses. Her b row was furrowed in confusion as she took stock of her painless state. She rub b ed aimlessly at the scars and the fresh wounds that now marked her b ody. Testing and poking at her sides, where b roken rib s still remained. Baffled b y the fact that she no longer felt anything? Serenity hadn't the power to heal her physically, b ut she had taken her pain._

 _ **(We are close, but the entrance to the Dark Kingdom is hidden. Hang on, Mars. We are on our way. I just need you to hang on a little longer.)**_ _Serenity tried to inject strength and confidence b ut failed miserab ly. Her words had b een weak, a_ _faint whisper in her mind. She was now b one weary and the pain she had taken from Mars was b eating relentlessly inside her head._

 _Ultimately Mars knew her princess and her would b e saviours were lost ab ove. Wandering the wilderness with out any solid direction as to how to reach her or Venus. Immediately her frustration was strong, as a sense of helplessness gripped her._

 _She felt Serenity sigh in resignation at her righteous anger. Here she was, her princess, full of good intentions and no real plan to b ack them up. Mars rub b ed her head tiredly and then pushed b oth palms flat against her eyes. Curling her fingers over the top of her skull and pulling hard at the crown of her dark b angs._

 _ **(For the first time in your life, Mars! Believe in me!)**_ _Serenity shouted b ack. Her voice reverb erated inside Mars's skull_ _like a thunder clap. The echo of conviction in her voice, vib rating through Mars leaving a nagging headache in its wake. Her princess instantly regretted her shouting, knowing it had hurt Mars. Mars felt her cringe and draw b ack._

" _I do not want you coming to save me. I would never b e ab le to live with myself if you were harmed or killed trying to free_ _me from this hell." Mars stated softly. Her wishes would b e heard b ut not headed, she knew this. Serenity was as_

 _stub b orn and b ull headed as her. She would do just what she pleased and b e damned what the consequences would_

 _b e. She would not leave her to die. Her survival and that of Venus had b ecome all-important to her. Serenity was coming regardless of what Mars thought. She just hoped that when she stormed this prison, she had the might of a great army at her b ack._

 _Mars felt hope flicker and quickly b uried it, she could not afford to indulge in dreams of freedom. If they proved false it could very well b reak her completely._

 _Mars slowly slumped against the rough stones at the b ack of her cell. Serenity's pressence was fading away, disappearing into nothing like an ethereal fog. As her princess recalled her spirit b ack into her own b ody miles away. Mars stared sightlessly into the dark, her pain was gone...Sort of? She could still feel it, b ut it wasn't completely real to her. It was as if it hovered on the fringe of her consciousness, as if it b elonged to someone else. She didn't really feel it inside her own b ody. The heavy silence looming around her, confirmed that her princess had left. Realizing that she was alone again, sent a jolt of panic through her. Her pulse quickened and a knot formed in her throat. Once a strong, hardened warrior. Her weeks in captivity had weakened her b oth physically and emotionally. She didn't want to b e alone anymore, she wanted her princess to come b ack. To soothe and strengthen her as she did b efore._

 _The need to b e protected was as desperate as a child's. She wanted to cry and wail into the darkness for Serenity to come b ack. The complete loss of control, shamed her, b ut she had not the strength to reclaim it. Instead she b roke down into desperate sob s, cradling her head in her crossed arms. Now b raced on top of her knees. She had pulled them up to her chest, drawing herself tightly into a b all. The endless torture had b rought ab out this sordid manifestation of complete despair. She could not tame it, or hold it b ack. She released all of her sadness and desperation into the universe as she cried._

 _Her wails softening over time as her voice b ecame hoarse. She pressed her fingers against her temples and pressed the heels of her palms against her wet eyes. A dull throb had risen in the b ack of her head thanks to her complete_

 _b reakdown. The next few hours was the longest of her life, as she sat sullen and exhausted in the darkness. There was nothing...no distant cries or sounds of violence. It was so quiet that anxiety and doub t b egan to creep into her again. Serenity wasn't coming...she would never b e found, never see the light again. Mars licked her dry, cracked lips. She would sell her soul for some water. She had long lost interest in food, the slop they fed her was foul and rarely offered. But water...water she would make herself sick on if she had it._

 _She thought of her sisters, Jupiter...Mercury? Where were they now? What were they doing? Her once proud Queen, now reduced to a desperate shell. Vainly clutching to what was left of her power, her kingdom as everyone b etrayed and_

 _ab andoned her. She imagined herself, free and in the loving hold of her princess. Was she really coming? Did she truly have the loyalty of the Silver Crystal? That power would b e enough to reduce this dark kingdom to rub b le. It could purify and resurrect this wretched place and reset the b alance that had b een lost during these long years of fighting._

 _Even as the thought of rescue, of seeing Serenity again b lossomed in her mind, she wondered if she would ever b e the same? She didn't feel like a holy warrior anymore. Her dignity and sense of self had long since left her. She felt more like an animal now. Her mind didn't work the same, reduced to a state of b asic survival. She coped from hour to hour, locked in this hell._

 _As a soldier she had lived with the reality that each day could b e her last. That her life was not her own, b ut given freely for the greater good that was the Silver Millennium. Death was not something she was in denial of. She had witnessed it over and over again since Serenity's b irth, when civil war b roke our b etween the planets and the darkness just kept growing. Consuming one planet after another, until it reached the moon kingdoms castle gates._

 _Since her capture and imprisonment she understood that there were some things worse then death. Death had meant peace, it meant one could finally rest with out guilt or resentments over their fate. It meant relief from unb earab le pain and appalling living conditions. Even animals were afford more dignity then she had b een. She had come to realize that simply enduring was worse then death._

 _Mars did not fear it, b eing from a highly spiritual people she actually welcomed it. She slowly slid a hand over her b are b reasts and down her gaunt stomach. She could feel each rib and it nauseated her._

 _The vile woman in b lack had b een starving her for days, giving her only enough water to keep her alive. She figured Venus was enduring the same and it tore at her soul even more. Knowing that her once proud and indomitab le leader was b eing slowly b roken the same as her. It gave her a toxic feeling deep in her gut that made her ill. Grief overwhelmed her. Emotion once again knotted her throat. She quickly swallowed and sought to calm herself with long deep b reaths. She needed to focus on other things._

 _Dirt and b lood covered her naked flesh, as she surveyed her b eaten and ab used b ody. Serenity would come. She would b ring down justice and retrib ution from the heavens and cleanse this wretched place of evil. She would dwell on that thought and allow it to sustain her until her Princess came..._

"Raye!" Jed screamed in vain, as he scrambled over the edge and rapidly worked his way downwards. Navigating the nearly vertical cliffside. He knew blindly descending into that magical darkness was insanity. But with the gunfire ringing in the distance and growing closer, Selene's Horde would be descending fully onto their position very soon. Desperation and insanity was all he had left.

"Raye!...Raye!...God Dammit Woman! Answer me!"

Exhausted and cowering against the crumbling earth below, Raye heard her name begin called desperately into the darkness. The sound of another living person startled her, it gave her the motivation to claw herself out of this mental oblivion. To begin to shake herself free from the drowning effects of the trance she had been drawn into when the darkness had consumed her. But she was scared...that unknown terror clung to her soul like a poison. Weighing down her heart, shackling her will to this prison of darkness. Leaving her trembling and unsure of her own voice.

"Raye! Raye! Come on girl! I need you to say something!" Someone calling to her. Her name was a mantra she clung to. It was drawing herself back, recalling her soul from the empty void that sought to devour it. She needed that person to

keep calling, to not give up on her...even though she had already given up on everything...

Raye felt groggy, half alive. Her heart beat pulsed like a drum against her chest, as if she had awoken from a very stressful dream. The trauma of her past lingered like a bad taste in the back of her mind. The pain of the past still echoing in her soul, affecting her current self in so many small ways.

She understood that the abuse she had suffered had affected every lifetime she had lived since. It had become the defining force of her rage. The cruel twist in her personality, that made her seek vengeance for every injustice. Opinionated and overly stubborn, she never bowed to anyone or anything...until today.

"Raye!...Raye!" Someone above was calling out to her, the voice was desperate and harsh. Who ever it was could just continue calling, because she wasn't going to make a single sound.

She was so tired of fighting...Eudial...her opponent had been so powerful. She had the cunning of a predator and superior tactical training. Always able to out manoeuvre and stay one step ahead. Herding Raye around the mountain side easily. The Queens General had deflected her attacks effortlessly, taunting and slowly destroying her confidence. Until in a fit of rage and desperation. Raye had called up so much of her own fire that she had lost control of it. The eternal blaze she had ignited from her soul, had blasted through the forest around her like a massive explosion. Devouring the vegetation in an all consuming inferno, raging out of control towards the upper passages. Eudial had no way to counter and was engulfed in a massive explosion of fire. Her agonizing screams had rent the air. Her flesh blackening and peeling away from her body as the flames devoured her wholly. Her suffering and slow incineration had shaken Raye. Her flames had not taken her life quickly but slowly burned her away to ash. As if they had become an emotional manifestation of her own fury. Raye had been so fuelled by hate, by rage and desperation. She had wished Eudial pain, immeasurable, excruciating suffering...she wanted her dead. It had been a truly gruesome, death, with out any mercy.

To realize such cruelty and hate lived inside of her soul was utterly terrifying.

Then the deathly fatigue had set in as her Genesis state took its toll on her body. The world was spinning, her vison narrowing as utter exhaustion took hold. She might have taken out Eudial in that last desperate attack, but it had cost her far to much. She had been so drained that when she had stumbled away. Towards the edge of the cliff, that was already weakened from their battle. It had crumbled away, she couldn't save herself and she had fallen into this even more fatal trap.

Set by some other general under Selene? An even more powerful enemy she had no will to face. Imprisoned in the dark void, as what was left of her vitality was slowly drained away. With her life energy bleeding away, came grim resignation.

"Raye! Talk to me! I am totally blind here?" Jed screamed, having reached some sort of outcropping he was now stumbling forward with both hands out. Waving them around in front and beside him, valiantly trying to find something or someone to grab.

"I am scared shitless...too..." He growled under his breath. Worried that he was going to make a misstep and plummet to his death. Then he would be no help to anyone...

Freedom...it lay so far away. She felt lost at the bottom of the fathomless ocean, the pressure of the darkness crushing her. But there was a spec of light...it shone like a magnificent star at the very edge of her the vison. She knew she had to fight against the pull of the darkness, she had move towards that light...Salvation lay there...she needed to push herself upward..forward...she had to move towards that light!

It was just too hard...resignation was heavy, dragging her down even farther.

Raye swallowed and slowly turned to face the familiar voice. With her back pressed up tight to the rock face, she tried to resurrect her voice to call back. To tell whomever it was searching for her, to give up and go back. She had no interest in fighting anymore. She just wanted to stay here and be at peace. She could no longer feel that fighting spirit she once had. It had abandoned her along with all her friends.

She was simply apathetic about the whole war, that was happening beyond the darkness. She didn't even have the strength to speak so she simply stayed silent. Staring into the darkness...welcoming it.

"Raye you selfish, bitch! You can't just cower down here and die!" Jed raged. He had been shuffling his feet forward. Finding the edge of the cliff with no sign of Raye, he then turned on his heel and started back towards the cliff face. He was close to panic now, knowing that their time was nearly up. All of her friends were out there fighting! Sere was fighting for her life up on the peek of this mountain while Raye wallowed down here in this darkness.

"Go away..." Raye whispered as she heard his footfalls coming closer. "I don't want to fight anymore...I just don't care anymore." Her voice sounded so weak and desolate in her ears, she barely recognized herself. She was bone weary and pain beat relentlessly at her body. She just wanted it all to end. No more lives...no more fighting...No more regrets...

"Let me die...please." Her voice was barely a whisper, pleading desperately for him to understand.

It startled Jed at first, she was so pathetic and broken? His toes dragged as he shuffled to a halt. He was suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of desolation, so deep, so acute that he couldn't breathe. Pain. Fear. Regret. Hopelessness. A weariness that went beyond this lifetime to an untold past. Again that connection between them was both shocking and welcomed.

He was feeling what she felt and her sorrow was so great it had staggered him. Her tears were locked inside her, as she refused to let them come. Memories of all she had endured in this life and all the others flashed through his mind, until he had to close his eyes to control the reeling of his senses.

"I won't fight any longer." She moaned, so defeated that he wanted to bellow in rage at what had been done to her. He wanted to go back in time and rip apart the savages that had locked her up, tortured her and broke her spirit. To the point in which she would rather die then endure more. That demon woman and her enforcers who had hurt her so terribly that it haunted her reincarnations. For the first time in his life, he felt compelled to kill another living person.

Tentatively, softly he took a couple more steps as if approaching a skittish animal. "Raye...you are not there...you are not in that prison any longer. You are free, I'm here to help you. Don't give up. You are stronger then this darkness." Jed didn't know if she was cognizant of who or when she was. He sensed such profound desperation in her.

When he was met with silence for a long time he continued forward cautiously. Being tender and understanding with her was getting him no where. He needed to snap her out of this, to tap into that inner fire that always made her prevail against all odds. If that meant being an uncaring asshole to get her fired up, then so be it! He'd let her kick his ass for the greater good, any day.

Not knowing what possessed him. Jed lunged for her then, as more gunfire erupted from beyond the blackness. It echoed like faint thunder in the distance. Unable to fully penetrate this reality from the next. She sounded so dispassionate, so defeated, nothing like herself. The complete lack of regard for her friends well being struck him like a physical blow. Instead of confusing and worrying him, it only made him more infuriated with her. The intense need to shake her hard, or perhaps hit her repeatedly about the head and shoulder's... anything! To knock some sense into her or piss her off! Whatever it took to get her out of this morose, self defeatist funk she was in.

"What the hell, Raye? This isn't you? Get your shit in order and lets get the hell out of here!" He couldn't see a thing, but he could feel her slender shoulder's gripped under his fingers. Abruptly he stood up and hauled her over his shoulder. She squealed in surprise attempting to squirm out of his grasp.

It was the most life she had displayed since finding her and he went with it.

"Stop, squirming!" He chastised, slapping her ass hard. The resounding smack echoed in the void, followed by an indignant cry from her.

"Put me down! You Bastard!" She screamed, as Jed began to climb upward. His one arm firmly holding her in place over her ass, while this other arm was reaching, fingers clawing above. While his legs propelled them both up the vertical cliffside as if he had become a human mountain goat. He had no time to waste. His priority was to get Raye out of here and on her way towards the peek. He needed to get them clear of this cliff before everything went to shit.

"Sere and the others are fighting for their lives out there and your going to hide in this hole? I don't think so little missy. You need to shake off what ever spell that last General put on you and get your big girl panties firmly back in place! Cause you got a war to fight!" Jed commanded, jostling her a bit just to make her more furious.

They reemerged out of the darkness with Raye swearing and spiting epitaphs of pain at Jed. Her words so foul and full of bile they would make a grown sailor blush and cringe. Jed merely took it in stride, a smug smirk firmly plastered on his face. He had fulfilled his duty, the Fire Guardian was back and more full of vengeance then ever before.

As soon as they crawled over the cliffs edge an explosion sent them flying into the trees. Raye screamed in desperation as Jed was sent in the opposite direction. The landscape spun in a dizzy circle, as she was propelled into the night sky. Her body flailing and out of control, as the very peeks of near by pine trees struck her. Lashing her body like thousands of whips before she struck the hard earth like a dead weight. She groaned faintly, attempting to fight against unconsciousness but ultimately failing.

A bone deep chill had set in. It hurt to shiver yet she could do nothing else. She couldn't open her eyes, it was as if they were weighted shut. Or perhaps she was just to tired...she could barely think straight.

She remembered the void, how it had sapped away her energy leaving her wishing for death. Then the explosion...then blackness again. Pain crept over her, through her, the intensity pounding against every nerve and muscle in her body. A soft moan escaped before she could call it back.

"Raye...Raye..." Again someone was calling her name. It took her a moment to realize that it was Jed.

They had been separated during the explosion, but he had found her again. "You gotta get up, girl! You got a world to save." His relentless commitment to keeping her safe. To push her forward towards her true purpose...protecting her...so she could protect Serenity, this planet and all the people who lived upon it.

His strength surrounded her, warmth and energy flooded into her. So comforting and fortifying it shook her to her core. "Raye!" He shouted. His voice was deep, rough and slightly breathless from pain. He had become her knight, rescuing her from this darkness..never giving up on her.

"Wake up, Raye. Let me see those gorgeous lavender eyes." He pleaded.

Rayes brow wrinkled and she tried to process her surroundings. She could hear the rapid fire of guns, the manic shouts of soldiers mixed with the guttural howls of Onii. She was afraid to open her eyes.

Afraid that the world had ended while she had been imprisoned. That she was to late to save her Princess, that all of her friends were now dead and the Dark Queens armies were now overrunning the mountainside. That she had failed once again...she wasn't strong enough to endure another life that ended in failure.

A gentle hand stroked her cheek, carefully pushing away her hair. Tucking it tenderly behind her ears.

Such warmth, such devotion it soothed her like a balm. He was giving her the will to live on, to strive forwards. She needed to fight! It took everything she had to conquer her fear and open her eyes. Sunlight bloomed over the peek of the mountain, more intense then what the natural star could give off. It bathed the whole mountain in a mock daylight, that blinded her momentarily.

The brilliance stabbed into her eyes and seared her heart with dread.

"Mina..." She gasped.

"I need you to come back to me, Raye. I need you to wake up and get your ass in gear. Your hurt, I know. But neither of us has time to assess how badly." He coaxed.

"I know..." She ground out, her body screaming as she rolled onto her side. Her eyes snapped fully open and lips parted in a silent scream as breath rushed out of her. Her chest jerking violently with the effort to breathe. Her ribs were broken.

She inclined her head to the side to regard Jed, when bullets shattered the earth beside her.

Jed cursed vehemently as he knelt beside her, aimed his rifle into the treeline and squeezing off several rounds.

"Damn it, Raye. We can't just stand here like fucking targets." He grasped her arm and dragged her under cover between a set of boulders.

She barely managed to stammer out a defiant vow that she could move herself. It hurt to much to talk, to breathe. More of her was broken, not just her ribs maybe an arm..a wrist. She couldn't assess the damage, they was simply to much to process right now.

"Who's out there?" she breathed in a heavy voice.

"More of Beryl's death squads, their killing both Onii and Rebels. It's a fucking war zone here and we are right in the middle of it!" Jed cursed.

She stared up at him in panic, as he leaned over the side of the large rock they had found cover behind. Hurling what seemed to be a grenade into the dark forest. He was bleeding heavily from a nasty gash against his right hip. Dark fluid was pooling around his waist making his green fatigues cling against his skin. Cuts and bruises covered his face, yet his blue eyes were fierce...determined. He was not going to let anything happen to her, he would protect her until she was strong enough to defend herself again. Tears gathered in her eyes, she could do nothing for him. He was mortally wounded, how she did not know but perhaps a branch had impaled him when he fell? A deep shudder rolled through her body, as he continued to fire blindly into the trees. The tears that had pooled at the corners of her eyes finally began to fall down her cheeks. He would give his life for hers with out a regret. He truly was a brave, honourable man...a true knight.

"Raye, I want you to listen to me." His voice was calm, oddly soothing. The tone was that of a man, who understood his fate and accepted it. He had played his role to the end, he needed to see her off. So that she could complete her own destiny.

"I will lay down some cover fire, while you run. Head north along the ridge, it will take you up to a narrow animal trail that I used to get down here. " Jed instructed.

"Jed..." She whispered, he had pinned her in between to boulders. Crouching over her, protecting her as she gathered her wits again. She couldn't believe his bravery, his self sacrifice. In the short time she had come to know him. He had always been the smart ass, the least serious of the four men. More prone to shoot a joke then a bullet.

He paid her a brief look, his blue eyes warm with understanding. She touched his face, cupping his cheek that was slightly fuzzy from a few days worth of facial hair. "If you can stay alive until the end of this. I promise, Venus and I will give you a night to remember, just as we promised back at the hotel." She smiled sweetly up at him, wanting to instill in him an incentive worth staying alive for. He would be fighting against all odds to make it out of this.

"That's a promise, I'll keep you too." he chuckled, his eyes flying wide in both alarm and happiness. As Raye leaned upward, pressing her lips tenderly against his. Giving him a taste of what was to come between them if he survived. Her kiss was sweet, passionate and it promised so much more. As quickly as her kiss began she pulled away. "Thank you." She called, before rolling onto her feet and sprinting at full speed away from cover and into the trees.

Heading away from the fighting, her legs pumping, ignoring the pain searing through her body.

Heat like no other ignited soul deep within her. It began to engulf every muscle of her body, coursing like lava through her veins. Raye kept running, enduring the pain, pushing back the fear that perhaps this time her genesis would consume her. Gunfire exploded all around her, tearing through the bark of nearby trees. Shouts and howls echoed from the darkness, but she paid them no heed.

She had reclaimed her true purpose and in doing so had forsaken all mortal fears and doubts. Her princess needed her, this time she would protect her and this earth. The future kingdom was at hand and she was determined to see it given life. This time the tainted Queen would fall and Neo Queen Serenity would rise from her ashes. When the upper ridge came into sight, Raye did not falter in her steps but ran with purpose to the edge. Leaping into the air, as holy fire engulfed her body and she rose into the air like a phoenix. Twin wings burst from her back, black as pitch and iridescent in their splendour. The feather's were slender and fine like tendrils of smoke.

Her torn and battered clothing was replaced by a deep red leather armour. Accented with silver buckles and belts that held it in place upon her slender frame. With narrow shoulder guards and wrist braces, etched with the symbol of Mars. At her hip hung a long sword, the hilt in the shape of a spirit raven's skull, upon her back was a magnificent bow. Most of her dark hair was now twisted and braided into a crown upon her head, the rest fluttered like a dark cape down her back. She had ascended into her full goddess form, prepared to confront what lay ahead thanks to Jed's courage and sacrifice. She would avenge him and very other innocent soul who had been caught up in this selfish war. She caught the wind and soared into the night sky towards the peek of the mountain. Her destiny lay ahead of her and she did not fear it...she welcomed it.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Jupiter Awakens**

Coletrane's goal was to get these two men up to the northern plateau. That was the last sighting of the Lightening Guardian in the last hour. If she was still alive they would find her up there somewhere. Coletrane's job right now was to move them quickly and avoid engaging with the enemy, get the Guardian safely under the Onii's radar and up to the summit.

It was a painstaking journey, one that Coletrane could make in the tenth of the time it was taking to get these two civilians up the ridge. They were both healthy, athletic men but they were not as sure footed on the uneven terrain as he was. Not used to traversing natural labyrinths in full pack, like he was.

The trees were thick and crowded the trail, looming over them like vengeful spirits. They picked their way through the trees at a slow, steady pace. Climbing upward as urgently as the terrain would allow. After the Guardian's last intense barrage of lightening attacks that had lit up the night sky. The heavy silence and faint smell of ozone that followed clung around them like grim fog. A few birds had begun to chatter as of late but their voices were far off and faint. What lay ahead was a dark and ominous path, that led them upward.

As the path climbed toward that barren ridge of stone, the tree line fell back. Giving them more space between the ancient trunks, allowing Cole to see further into the forest. But it also took away their cover, which made him infinity more nervous. He griped his rifle more firmly, scanning the flimsy tree line warily. The path was well worn, with lots of foot prints. The ground covered with broken branches, leaves and dry bracken. They were not the only ones to come this way...he didn't know who lay ahead, if they were friend of foe. But he would bet his life that they were marching right into a trap.

He halted in his tracks, lifting a hand to instruct the two men behind him to stop.

"There's something out there." He whispered, he squinted his eyes searching the trees for his target.

Kane stiffened, adjusting his rifle in his hands. Hollywood cleared this throat nervously, swinging his rifle behind them guarding their backs.

"You two stay up here, I'm going to go check it out." Coletrane announced, not wasting a moment. He leaped off the path, sliding down the loosened earth, melting into the darkness as easily as a shadow. Heading in the direction that had grabbed his attention. He had caught movement off to the right about a quarter mile down from their position. Stealthily, he moved through the trees, able to move faster and more quietly now that he was alone.

Slinging his rifle over his shoulder as the loose ground shifted, not wanting to lose his footing. As he slid down into the gulley between the two ridges. He shimmied up the rough trunk of a tree near the edge of a cliff. About midway up his locked his legs around the trunk and pulled his rifle over his shoulder, doing a quick scan of the area through his scope.

He was rewarded within moments when he found his first target. A large black eyed onii, with a long slender body and a bent posture, dragging its incredibly long arms along ground, upon the trail ahead. He had several smaller, onii scrambling in its wake. The imp like demons with their tiny arms and legs, were unable to keep up the larger ones lanky strides. They were a macabre group but deadly as hell. He would have to dispose of them before they could safely head up the northern ridge to where the Thunder Guardian was in battle. He quickly scanned the trail a few meters past the small group of demons to insure there were no other enemies to contend with. When the trail looked clear he resumed his mission of disposing of them. Squeezing off one round, straight at the giants exposed shoulder blades. The monster was easily three-hundred yards away, but Coltrane was a seasoned soldier and he was deadly accurate with a rifle. The monster dropped like a stone when his bullet severed it's spinal column. Within two seconds, he had picked off the remaining imps one by one. Like shooting ducks in a row each one got a bullet between the eyes. He dispatched them all swiftly. Then slid down the tree and hurried back to where he had left Kane and Hollywood. Finding them both gone.

"Dammit all!" He exclaimed, jogged up the path at full speed to catch up to them. Knowing damn well they had left him

behind on some fool hardy notion of chivalry to spare his life.

Was it worth it? Was any of this fighting worth it? Never before had she questioned her dedication to Serenity, in this life or the countless others she had lived before. Protecting her was her duty, serving the greater good through her was her greatest achievement. She had embraced that mission with out regret again and again. But here wandering through the eternal beauty of this hidden garden, Lita found herself lost.

Doubting her resolve to fight on, her will power wilting under the great beauty that surrounded her

Brushing a hand lightly down the stem of a glorious bright red rose, she felt alone, without hope. She was doubting everything that made her who she was. Her thoughts and feelings were all jumbled, leaving her with a very disconcerting ache in her belly. She rubbed aimlessly at it, her brows furrowed in confused fear.

"Lita..." The voice calling to her was soft and so full of understanding. This woman who existed within this garden with her.. truly cared about her...more then any other human being had ever cared for her. Yet she didn't even know her?

"Where is this?" Lita scanned the lush garden that spread out before her. The glass roof of a grand green house stretched over her head, the warm summer sun glistening down upon her as if the heavens themselves were glowing.

"This is my garden." the stranger responded quietly.

Lita sighed languidly, drawing her eyes away from the exquisite collection of rare roses. To gaze upon an elegantly beautiful young woman. Her expression was calm, her soul was at peace. Her soft green eyes gave off no emotion. They were merely warm and inviting as her sweet personality. Dressed in a simple pale pink sun dress, that looked so pure it seemed almost white. With a low, lace collar and light, almost flowing skirts. Her silvery blonde hair was twisted and pinned high upon her head. Thin wisps of her locks fluttered free here and there around her head, twisting wildly in the gentle breeze. She moved gracefully to the stone border of a nearby flower bed, picking up the clippers that lay upon the stone edging. She began to prune the leaves, with out a care in the world.

"Who are you?" Lita vaguely remembered the rage she had felt earlier. The fear and anxiety that she might not live to see the next day. But those memories of strife and war were fading, as if they had just been a very bad dream.

"Who are you?" Lita muttered again, pinching the bridge of her nose. Suddenly feeling very nauseous and light headed as if she was about to faint. Her thoughts were muttled, her memories locked away. Leaving her very confused and lost.

"Ruru Teruno, sweetie." She responded, not turning from her work. "No more fighting for us today, ok. Lets take our time here and enjoy the solace of this garden."

Lita hummed, not realizing how easily she had just obeyed this strange woman she barely knew. Laying back upon the grass, crossing her arms under her head. Believing Ruru's idea was the most wonderful she had ever heard. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Allowing the summer sun to heat her body and soothe away all the aches and pains she felt. She felt so worn out, both physically and mentally. Her heart felt so at ease here, she no longer questioned if this was real. Or cared if this place might be a dream, she wanted to stay here forever.

As she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts turned to Kane and she wished to share this beautiful world with the man she loved.

" _All of this has taken to long," Jedite howled, as rage consumed him. He paced in front of Endymion's war tab le in the_ _Kings command tent. The flickering light of near b y torches creating an almost sinister mask over his troub led features. Dressed in the light weight leather armour of the Samurai. Deep b lue scaled accents were painted along the seams of his segmented cuirass, plated shoulder and thigh guards. The ink now cracked and faded from months of war. Nothing remained of his old b lue cape, the heirloom that b ore his family sigil of the great b lue dragon. Discarded and b urned long ago on the b attle field. His b ack now lay b are, except for his katana sheathed and tied along his shoulder b lades. His shorter wakizashi was sheathed in wrapped cloth around his waist. "We have b een storming around this arctic edge of the world for two months!" Jed turned to face his king, who sat calmly b ehind his great tab le. Dressed in his dark iron plate, that was dented and scratched from b attle. His b lood red cape pinned to his mantle with golden rose clips. His long sword was sheathed along his shoulder b lades, his short sword hanging from his left hip. His family crest, that of a pure white pegasus rearing high on it's b ack legs, its mighty wings stretched upwards towards the sky was emb lazoned upon his iron chest piece. The elegant horse once gleamed upon the center of his b reast plate. Was now oddly deforme massive dent, from a recent b low to his chest in the last b attle._

 _A map was spread wide over the surface of the tab le with metal statues and markers scattered from one end to the other. For the first time in his life, Jed wanted to strike his king and knock that calm and composed look right off his face. He wanted to take apart the kings make shift war room with his b are hands._

 _She was out there..._

 _Eris..._

 _The Guardian of Fire and War..._

 _His one true love..._

 _Jedite glowered over everyone present inside the tent. His b rothers in arms didn't look any happier. Kunzite was hunched over the far end of the tab le, glaring down at the map as if he could pin point the missing Guardians if he could only look hard enough. Venus had b een captured as well, he knew the stoney mask Kunsite wore. Was cracking more and more as the days passed, the anxiety and anguish of not knowing if she was alive or dead eating away at his stoic resolve. Just this morning, Jed had caught him in the wee hours b efore dawn. Out in the near b y clearing, cursing and pacing. Lunging and pairing with his swords with so much vigour and rage. One might have thought he was in a real b attle. If anyone understood his own anger and feelings of helplessness it was Kunsite. His own true love was suffering and he had no way to save her._

 _Small metal statues were scattered from one end of the tab le to the other, noting all the places they had searched. Kunsite was dressed in his dusty grey leather armour, his once pure white cape now dull and travel worn. His family crest, that of a white tiger coiled to strike. It's mouth roaring in defiance at the sky, b randed upon the leather of his shoulder guards. Was the only part of his armour that looked pristine. Two long swords were crossed upon his b ack, the leather_

 _b ound hilts worn and stained from the sweat of his palms. Stating without words the heavy toll of endless b attles Kunsite had already endured._

 _Nephrite stood on the other side of their king, in his rust coloured chain mail over this dark earthen b rown leather armour. Two dull metal shoulder guards were attached to an ornate chest piece. The solid armour pieces were dented and scuffed from b attle. His dark red cape was clasped together with the sigil of a red phoenix. Daggers were concealed all over his b ody, a cross b ow hung across his b ack and his mighty war hammer was leaning against a thick tent pole nearb y._

 _Zoisite was on the other side of Endymion. His hand curled around his nape as he stared down in frustration at the fruitless effort they had put in already. His tanned hide armour was stained a darker tint with the b lood of the slain. The green filigree that accented his shoulder guards and chest piece was weathered, the fine needle work now looking thread b are and slightly unraveled. His thin flowing white rob e b eneath his armour was now a dull grey the hem torn from b attle and travel fatigue. His long green cloak hung off one shoulder, tattered and torn. It could no longer hang properly from his neck. His stringed instrument, his pipa was now tied to his hip along with an assortment of daggers and a short sword. The etching of this family sigil, that of the ancient tortoise still adorned the instrument. As stead fast and unmoving as always._

 _They were all dressed in their respective armours, practically living in their b attle gear over the last month. Their weapons no longer gleamed b ut were now tarnished with the b lood of the slain. Having purged the tainted souls of their b rethren and citizens alike as they made their way north. Their kingdoms were lost, Elysian had fallen last b ut the Golden Kingdom had not died quietly. Endymion had rallied what remained of his people as Elysian b urned around them. They had fought their way out of the castle against the Dark Queen's horde. Screaming in defiance and fighting relentlessly threw out the night. Breaking free of her grasp at the very edge of the devastated green wood and rushing onward into dawn threw the b lackened prairie towards freedom._

 _Following the Guardian of Wisdom's lead towards the northern forges of Varisravana. The House of Tamonten had fallen first when the Dark Queen had emerged from the b arren, icy wasteland of the far arctic. As she b egan her campaign towards the central Kingdom. Sending her own Generals and their great armies b oth east, west and south. As she lay waste through the north, leaving it in ruins as she headed towards the Golden Kingdom. All four of the heavenly kings had fought tirelessly to save their people b ut in the end they had lost their kingdoms. What remained of their forces had sought refuge inside Elysian's walls. Losing their last remaining sanctuary only a couple months ago._

 _What remained of the five kingdoms, survivors, soldiers...orphans...had all b anded together to purge the earth of the Demon Queen. Banner sworn now to the goddess Serenity, they moved forward with new vigour, new purpose and hope._

 _The mighty sword of sealing had b een forged in the b owels of what remained of Byakko Castle atop the highest peek on Kunsite's kingdoms great mountain range. The holy sword remained in the kings keeping, perched at the edge of his war tab le. A truly deadly and elegant weapon. The forged b lade was long and slender at the tip, widening in girth as it descended towards a delicate twisting hilt of pure silver. Several star seeds glowed upon the ornate cross piece of the hilt. Collected b y Mercury along her journey b ack to earth._

 _The soul stones of the Outer Guardians. Pluto, Neptune and Uranus. The dark star was missing, the eternal seed of the Guardian of Destruction. Of death...and perhaps if she felt merciful...reb irth._

 _Saturn still remained asleep, b ut Mercury had reported that the Outers talismans were vib rating, announcing the end of times and Saturn's coming awakening. But they had pledged to Serenity that they would fight until the very end to save the earth...to purge their solar system of this great evil. They would never give up and quietly accept their fate. They would scream and rail against this darkness forever..._

 _Jupiter had given her own star seed over to the sword months ago with out regret. It had taken Serenity weeks to unseal Mercury's powers with the aid of the Silver Crystal. But once the Guardian of Wisdom had b een reinstated, she too had pulled her star seed from her b ody and committed it to the swords hilt. The swords power was b ecoming great b ut still incomplete. It still needed the crystals of b oth Venus and Mars to b ecome powerful enough to seal the great darkness away for good._

 _Jupiter watched each of them in turn, leaning heavily against the thick door post to the Kings war tent. With her arms crossed over her own holy armour, she took stock of each man in turn. They were tired. Their resources stretch thin. They had spent far to much time in a fruitless search, having to expend excessive amounts of resources to keep what remained of their forces alive in this unforgiving land of ice and snow. Fighting and losing men every other day when they encountered scouting parties of demon's, sent from the Dark Kingdom. Time was running out for them, soon they would have to retreat b ack into the inner realms and restock what they could of their nearly depleted food stores and recruit new soldiers from the refugee camps in the far south. If they left without Venus and Mars, it would take far to long to get b ack up here and they would certainly b e dead b y then._

 _Their capture had taken a toll on each of them, b ut it had devastated the princess. No one was willing to give up until they were found and b rought b ack into the fold safe and alive._

" _This is b ullshit!" Jed raged, "Serenity has linked her spirit to Eris, she should b e ab le to track her like a god damn b lood_ _hound! Right to the Dark Kingdoms accursed front gate!"_

 _Jupiter licked her b ottom lip, holding her own fury in check as she stalked forwards to confront Jed. She did not tolerate disrespect towards her future sovereign._

" _She is not some super natural dog!" She shouted into Jed's face. She was as tall and formidab le in stature as any of the_ _men. Her deep green eyes glowering dangerously at Jed. Her dark stare as volatile as a mighty storm._

" _The Imperium Silver Crystals power is not some simple totem to track souls. It is an ancient artifact from the Heart of the_ _Cosmic Cauldron. It's power transcends all existence. My princess is putting her very life on the line every time she uses it!"_

 _Jupiter poked him hard in the chest. "You will not b elittle her effort, we made it this far b ecause of her. I trust that she will lead us to the Dark Kingdom. Its just going to take a little while longer."_

 _Endymion held up his hand and stood up from the tab le wanting them to stop fighting. His deep b lue eyes glowering at each of them in turn. Their b ickering did nothing b ut further weaken their efforts to save Mars and Venus._

 _Jed clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth in frustration. He was simmering with fury, as he ab ruptly turned away and paced towards the front flap of the tent. He b rushed the heavy hide aside, surveying the camp b eyond grimly. The trees that surrounded the camp were heavy with snow and loomed around their encampment. The predawn light was eerie, as the moon would soon b e down. A somb er, faint dawn was illuminating the snow. He could see the sentries perched high on the trees, keeping a vigil over the forest and the valley of ice b eyond. There wasn't much left of their army, b ut a rag tag b and of young soldiers, civilians turned warriors and the odd mercenary from b eyond the sea. The makeshift tents of fur and hide were worn and caked with snow. Small fires were scattered b etween the tents, sputtering with the last of the nights coals. The men wandered from tent to tent, b acks b owed and heads hung low. They were at the end of their endurance. When they had started out their encampment was as large as a small city. It could b e spotted easily and heard for miles. They had b een confident in their numb ers and feared no attack. As the months wore on though and the ranks b egan to diminish, fear had settled in. The whole planet was in turmoil, the Dark Queen's armies led b y her Generals were advancing across the planet. The tainted humans, known only a demons were swelling like a cancerous tumour. Her army growing in ranks everyday, while the survivors fled in terror unab le to find safe harb our as she covered the earth in her darkness. He was losing hope...even Serenity couldn't fortify him anymore._

" _Walk with me Leda." Jed called over his shoulder towards Jupiter. He needed some air and the cool morning might_ _settle his mood and calm the anger b etween them. Reaching for his heavy fur mantle on the hook, emb edded on the post b eside the doorway. He swung the fur cloak over his shoulders and pulled up the hood. Knowing the Goddess of Protection would follow. She may b ecome highly volatile at times when it concerned her Princess, b ut she was not illogical. She understood that they b oth needed to cool off and a short walk and some much needed conversation b etween them was necessary._

 _Jupiter grunted and followed him out, b eing a higher b eing the cold did not b other her as much. She had no need for added warmth b esides her holy armour. Her dark green cape snapped in the freezing wind as she strode to his side. The snow crunching like b rittle b one under the heels of her heavy leather b oots, as she took in Jed's tired countenance. He had drawn his heavy ox hide hood close to his face, surveying the meager remains of their army. The small b ands of men, a couple wagons, a few horses, mules, tents. Worn and rusted gear and the small fires that surrounded them._

" _This is all that is left of us. A sad lament of the fighting force we once were." He stated, as a young b oy b arely into his_ _teens darted past in thread b are clothes and no cloak. His feet wrapped in thin cloth and shoved into a pair of soldier's_

 _b oots two sizes to large for him. He ran at an awkward, lopping pace. Carrying several pikes in a clumsy manner towards a nearb y wagon._

 _The strong aroma of roasting meat and wood smoke filled the morning air, the men were having a hasty meal of what game they had managed to hunt last evening as they started to b reak camp. The snow had b een trampled and packed flat b etween the tents as they moved deeper into the camp._

" _We can not stay here much longer, Jupiter. We are not as resilient as the gods." Jed inclined his arm over a group of_ _men, huddle fire. Drinking and eating, singing in low tones of home and hearth. Trying to keep their spirits up._

" _The men are weary and our food is running dangerously low." He sighed, heavily "I feel at this point we are just_ _prolonging the inevitab le." He surveyed the pikes and equipment that were stacked in upright circles just b ehind them. Lances were thrust deep into the snow b anks, no longer of use with the lack of horses to carry them. Most of the soldiers who once wielded them, lay frozen in deaths sleep miles away. Tents sprouted all around them without any order to their layout. Men roamed b etween the tents and fires, stumb ling with exhaustion._

 _No one paid any attention to them as they past. Jupiter released a sigh of regret, her own army along with b oth Venus and Mars had b een annihilated on the outskirts of the greenwood that surrounded the Golden Castle. So she had to rely on the human armies to reach this far north. She saw several soldier's from different kingdoms wandering amid the fires. Each in their respective armours, the sigils of the Four Heavenly Kings emb ossed upon their shoulder guards or b reast plates. A few of Endymion's own men were among them, b ut b arely a hand full._

" _Perhaps you should lead them b ack then." Jupiter quipped, her voice compassionate b ut dripping with mock sympathy._ _"This is no place for the weak anyway." She finished, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring down at him. She was a descendant of the All God and could not tolerate weakness in any form. Jed was giving up and he was shaming his own people b y discrediting their strength to endure._

 _Jedite was only an inch shorter, b ut her condescending look down the point of her nose was infuriating._

 _Jed snarled and spun on her, raising a fist unab le to hold b ack his rage. Ready to smash his fist right into her pompous face. She knew damn well that not a single person here would retreat like a b eaten dog. The survival of their very race depended on them. If they didn't reach the Dark Kingdom and kill the Dark Queen their future was lost._

 _Either way they accepted that death awaited each one of them in turn. But they would choose death on their own terms not under the Demon's Queens rule._

 _Jupiter raised her arms to defend herself, a defiant smirk spreading across her face._

" _You don't think, that I don't see the misery our failure to protect your planet has caused?" She roared. "I see it_ _everyday...b ut can do nothing b ut push forward. Our heaven is ruined...twisted and tainted b y this darkness. Serenity is the only purity I can depend on. I have pledged myself to her cause, b ody and soul and so has every man here. You might have lost faith in your own people to endure this war. But you must never lose faith in her!"_

 _Jupiter caught his fist with a palm and pushed his arm b ack. Screaming and b aring her teeth like a feral animal. She was a true warrior, trained to defeat all who would oppose her and the will of her Sovereign. She never fought half heartedly, she engaged in comb at with all of her might. Giving no quarter and offering no mercy. No matter if it was friend or foe. She promised to end this quickly so she could focus on more important things then Jedites lack of faith. She took a step b ack adjusting her stance to throw a low kick at his knees. Wanting to take him down quickly and end this pointless fight._

 _A moment later, a young man dressed in tattered leather b reeches and a long coat to large for his frame. Rushed_

 _b etween them, his small arms up in a placating manner. His hands lost in the overly b aggy sleeves. He was sweating and pale from exertion, his watery b lue eyes filled with fear and remorse._

" _You are Jupiter..." He panted, snapping his head b ack and forth b etween them worried they were going to continue_ _throwing punches around him._

" _Yeah..." Jupiter responded._

 _The b oy nodded solemnly. "We must hurry...my lady Mercury has left the camp in pursuit of your Princess. She has sent me to find you. Her Majesty Serenity was not in her tent this morning. My lady Mercury b elieves she has gone into the wilderness...alone."_

 _Jupiter never even looked b ack, rushing off towards the make shift stab les for her war horse with the young b oy_

 _scramb ling at her heels. He was shouting up at her in what direction Mercury had gone, his arms flailing desperately. She only half heard him. Her heart was roaring in her ears, a raw panic setting in. Sending sharp, piercing jab s through out her chest. Had the princess b een lured away b y the Dark Queens magic or perhaps she could no longer endure the misery that surrounded her and took matters into her own hands. Soon she was charging out of the camp atop her dark stallion, the snow churning b eneath the horses hooves as she raced away into the trees towards the valley._

 _Within minutes Jupiter had caught up to Mercury. Once Serenity had unsealed her Star seed, she had called forth her own holy garments as well. Jupiter could see her sleeveless long coat snapping in the wind, as she rode her white roan b are b ack deeper into the trees. The curving arm of her harp at her hip caught the morning sun and gleamed like a jewel. A_

 _b eacon in the dark wood that Jupiter could focus on as she rode hard towards her. The narrow trail of hardened snow and perma frost crunching sharply under her stallions hooves._

" _Mercury!" She b ellowed as she got closer._

 _Mercury pulled her mount to a stop, it's b it and halter the only equipment she had secured in her rush out of the camp._

 _Twisting around upon her horses b ack, she struck Jupiter with a terrorfied expression._

 _Jupiter sucked in a quick b reath, seeing such fear upon the usually calm and collected visage of Mercury was very unsettling._

 _The strings upon her harp vib rated, sending a trilling sound into the air. Mercury reared her mount ahead, kicking it in the rib s to speed up it's pace. Jupiter was quick to catch up and soon they were galloping through the woods, slowing only to navigate over ice and sharp b ramb les of dead fauna._

 _The trees slowly b egan to grow further and further apart, as they moved higher up the ridge. Becoming less rob ust, more thin and sickly as they ascended. In time they found themselves upon b arren ground, covered in a thin layer of snow and frost. Only the most hardy of moss and scrub grass clung to the loose shale and granite cliff sides._

" _We must hurry. It is far to open here. We need to go deeper into these mountains." Mercury commanded solemnly._

" _Whoa, there Mercury. I need more then that." Jupiter growled._

 _Mercury turned a slight frown upon her face, as her harp strings vib rated with a shrill call. "I am tracking her star seed with my harp, Jupiter. She's close...up in those caves." Mercury pointed upward to the northwestern crest of the mountains. A cold, lifeless summit of ice and snow far ab ove their heads. It ascended into the sky like a deadly, jagged dagger of stone. It looked formidab le to climb , as treacherous as any natural weapon could b e._

" _She's gone up there. Into a huge cave...one b ig enough to house prisoners." Mercury stated, her lips set in a grim line._

 _Jupiter swallowed nervously, "We are following her b lindly...perhaps into a trap?"_

" _Then we will destroy that trap!" A familiar voice called out to them. His voice was self assured and determined that_ _nothing. Not even hell itself would stop him from protecting his true love and saving his people._

 _Jupiter and Mercury turned on their mounts to find Endymion and his four generals galloping upon their own war horsed towards them._

" _The cave will b e heavily guarded...it might b e to dangerous to just go charging in the front door?" Zoisite offered_ _logically._

" _To hell with dangerous," Nephrite laughed, his tone b oisterous and some what fool hardy. "Kunsite and Jedite can kill'em_ _b lind folded and with their hands tied b ehind their b acks._

 _Jupiter smiled wanly. She loved that man, b ut he coul handful. Eager to fight b ut never one for stragedy. While Zoisite sighed and shook his head sadly._

" _Glad your so confident in our ab ilities, Zoi!" Jedite grumb led dryly._

" _Do the rest of you plan to do anything or are Mercury and I doing this on our own?" Jupiter added with a cocked eyeb row._

" _Enough, we have no time for fruitless b anter." Endymion growled, rearing his mount towards the mountains and kicking_ _him into a steady yet cautious pace up the cliffside. The rest followed single file up the mountain. Taking directions from Mercury as she led them upwards towards the Hidden Gate to the Dark Kingdom._

 _Betrayal...feelings of great loss and utter despair overwhelmed her. Eternal pain and anguish soon followed, it ripped through her heart and left a b loody scar that would remain for the rest of her reb irths._

It didn't feel right. None of it felt right. Kane eyed his surrounding warily, the trees had seemed to pull ranks around them. Growing so tightly together there seemed to be only one path upward...they were trapped. Forced to move forward on a single course as if they were rats in a maze.

He glanced sideways at Hollywood, finding grim determination in the set of his mouth. The branches loomed inches above their heads, so full and twisted together that they could not even make out the night sky. The undergrowth crowded around their ankles, blocking their view of the forest beyond. They stalked threw the over grown jungle in silence, griping and adjusting their rifles nervously. Eyes and ears alert to any noise or movement. The last thing they wanted to contend with was a sudden assault by Onii.

Kane was worried sick over Lita's safety. All he wanted was to the get the hell out of China, with her safe and sound. All his dreams and hopes for the future with her had gone up in smoke over an hour earlier. Coletrane had tracked her up to this north western ridge, but it had been a long time since they had sighted a flash of lightening. It was as if she no longer existed. The night had taken on a deathly silence since her last attack. The forest seemed devoid of animal life, nothing moved, no birds called from the branches.

The thought that perhaps she had been killed paralysed him. All the breath left his chest, leaving him deflated. His pace slowed as the stress and anxiety of the last few days caught up to him.

She was out there...hurting...dieing and he was no were close to finding her. He ached to be at her side, to fight along with her..or comfort her if she was close to her end. That thought alone tore at his heart, shredded it actually and left him struggling to find breath.

"Hey...get it together man!" Hollywood prodded his back with the butt of his rifle.

He nodded and picked up the pace. He couldn't afford to mentally wander like that. It could get him and Hollywood killed.

He glanced over his shoulder and nodded grimly at Hollywood. They were dirty, drenched in sweat not just from the sweltering heat but from stress as well. They had been living in it, every breath a painful ache of dread and anxiety. Would they live through this, would the girls? Would they ever see Darien alive again? The present was an ever growing war zone, bombs exploded in the distance, men and beasts screamed all around them. The rapid fire of bullets echoed in the darkness, staying focused on their course was difficult. More difficult was envisioning a future past this blood shed...it was more likely that none of them would see the dawn. Kane accepted that outcome but he would make sure that the Dark Queen would not live to see the sun either!

When they topped the rise to the upper ridge, Kane stopped in his tracks. Forcing Hollywood to slam hard into his back.

"What the hell..." Hollywood growled. He shifted his position, glancing around Kane's large shoulders a sharp gasp escaping his lips at what he saw.

"Ok, I know I am not going nuts then...you are seeing this too." Kane breathed, staring in complete confused amazement at the lush garden that spread out before them along the ridge. A shimmering glass green house shone in the distance as if illuminated from within.

Kane swallowed hard, adjusting the grip on his rifle as he broke into a full sprint towards that strange building.

Hollywood kept pace beside him, scanning the flower beds and delicate bushes of topical flowers for enemies.

Lita lay beneath the skylight, breathing deeply, basking in the peaceful surroundings. She was tired. Numb. Beyond exhausted. But her mind was in chaos. Nothing Ruru said could get her thoughts to calm down. Her sweet, calm voice should relax her, but instead it only made her more agitated.

She felt off balance here, doubt and anxiety nagged at the corners of her mind. There was a longing...for someone...she couldn't remember who. But it ate at her peace of mind, churning in her soul making her anxious and jittery. She couldn't relax...a defiant burning lay smouldering in the deepest parts of her. A warning not to trust in this reality, to break free of it's hold and reclaim her forgotten freedom.

She needed to sort out her thoughts...pick up the pieces of her fragmented memories and make herself whole again. It was just so hard to grasp them, they slipped away into vague watercolours every time she tried to hold onto them.

Slowly she opened her eyes, fighting against the lethargy of the sun's warmth. It shouldn't have surprised her to find Ruru's face hovering so close to hers. Her soft green eyes so hypnotic and clear, drawing her in and holding fast. Her full lips mere inches away from hers, whispering sweet things that soothed her. Made her sleepy and complacent to her will. Lita moaned in pain, as her vision blurred and she stared sightlessly up at her jailer. As the General continued her silent assault, draining away Jupiter's soul, claiming it for her master. Lita had neither the will or energy to fight against Ruru's control. As she continued to devour her life in the quiet, gentle embrace of a skilled succubus.

Kane and Hollywood walked briskly down the narrow paths of the inner garden, keeping a cautious eye to their surroundings. Rifles cocked and ready, to deal with any would be enemies that may lay in wait for them amid the surreal beauty of this place. The garden inside the greenhouse was pristine, every flower in full bloom. Their colours brilliant with such a lush hue they looked fake.

The garden was perfect and creepy as hell...

"This place isn't right..." Hollywood growled low in his throat.

"It feels like the twilight zone." Kane answered back. He couldn't deny the eerie aura that encompassed this place. It hung in the air like a foul stench, undetectable by the nose but his skin was crawling.

Kane shivered and rolled his shoulder's seeking to calm the growing anxiety now smothering him.

"I don't like this...its like were walking through a graveyard." Hollywood hissed near his ear, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. He was jittery and this perfect garden was really freaking him out.

Hollywoods slight lack of composure did not bode well for Kane. He ground his teeth together, his jaw working back and forth as he sought to calm his own feelings of panic.

"Keep it together, Kevin. You need to watch my back, so I can keep an eye out for Lita." Kane commanded, adjusting his grip on his rifle and striding forward at a quicker pace.

Hollywood swallowed and nodded, keeping a few steps behind.

As they rounded another bend deeper in the labyrinth of flowers, Kane staggered to a stand still.

Nearly tripping Hollywood as he stumbled into his back yet again.

"What now." He hissed.

Kane never said a word, merely moved down onto one knee, aiming his rifle as calmly as a sniper.

Hollywood crouched low, not wanting to give them away. Staring at the strangely erotic image ahead in astonishment. A sweet faced, young woman barely over the age of twenty, hovered over the prone body of Lita. She had an elegantly gentle demeanour, as if she was an angel fallen to earth. Dressed in a simple sun dress of satin and lace. With a plunging neckline that revealed the tops of her alluring, well formed breasts. Her skin was pale, soft and seemed to sparkle as if dusted with silver. Her long light blonde hair was flowing over her shoulders and around her beautiful face. As she bent low over Lita's face, her full lips barely brushing against the brunettes. She was whispering, her melodic voice creating a hushed, ghostly pressence that hovered between the two women.

Hollywood was entranced by the scene, unable to blink or even look away. All of his senses completely focused on the two women's intimate exchange.

Lita's chest was barely moving, her eyes were closed and she seemed to be sleeping. A deep, all consuming sleep that would soon take her life.

Kane never missed a beat, he squeezed the trigger. The crack of the gun shot caught the generals attention. She snapped her head up in startled shock, just in time to catch the bullet right in the chest.

She screamed as the bullet tore threw her body, blood drenched her pale dress in an ever spreading stain. As she was sent sprawling into a nearby rose bush a few feet away from Lita.

It was then, when the General was cast away that Hollywood was able to regain his senses. He shook his head, clearing away the sedating fog her mere pressence had cast over him.

"That was intense..." He muttered, pressing his palm into his forehead still feeling rather woozy.

Kane dropped his rifle and scrambled to Lita's side. Pulling her cold, stiff body onto his lap. Bending over her and cradling her against him and holding tight. He couldn't lose her...not after all of this. He had to call her back, give her the will to live, to continue fighting. The world needed her to live...dammit he needed her to live...

She felt drugged, her thoughts muddled and confused. Her emotions were knotted with uncertain fear and anxious worry. Were was she...what was happening to her...she had been falling into darkness. It had swallowed her whole and had begun to devour her very soul. Like a black widow spider, she had felt paralysed. Unable to fight back as her energy was drained away. Then as swiftly as death had come to claim her, she had been cast free of it's hold. Left floundering in a vague, incomprehensible limbo.

She still could not see, her eyelids far to heavy to lift. But she could feel arms wrapping around her. A familiar scent and a voice calling to her. The sweetness of freedom, of safety lay beyond this prison of confusion she just needed to find her way back.

His touch was gentle, reassuring. "Lita, come back to me. It's okay now, you need to come back now."

Her eyes felt weighted, unable to call upon the strength needed to open them. She moaned back in response to the plaintive voice calling to her. The desperation in his voice instantly changed to excitement. That voice had irrevocably changed her life. Her heart that once been crushed when Andrew had left. He had healed, by picking up all the mangled pieces of her heart and made it whole again. She yearned to return to him...the man who had become everything to her. The man who had given her hope, that love was possible for her again. A new lease on life, on a future filled with all the hopes and dreams she had craved as a young woman. Hopes and dreams she had shelved after Andrew, that he now laid claim to. He had pulled them free and dusted them off, making those feelings shiny and new again. Love...Marriage...children...one day...but for now she just needed to find her way back to him!

"I love you, Lita." His finger's brushed down her cheek, his thumb wiping away the fresh tears now cascading from her closed eyes.

Lita sucked in a breath, his words held a power far superior to the spell seeking to kill her. They cut through the darkness weighing her down, cutting the invisible chains that were holding her soul prisoner.

A smile quivered upon her lips, the pain and hurt she had been shackled to as she had relived her past lives began to fade. "I know your hurt, baby. I don't know what she did to you, but I know your in pain. I would do anything to take that hurt away, to heal you and make it all ok again...but I can't. I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. But I'm here now and I need you to open your eyes and wake up."

A fresh wash of tears escaped her closed eyes, as she fought harder to come to her senses. It was like swimming upward through mud. Every inch towards consciousness was a struggle, an invisible weight kept pulling her back down.

Kane began to laugh. "You know, the thing is my first impression sucked. I swear you wanted to punch me...hell I think you even threatened it...but the first time I laid eyes on you, things changed for me. I felt this connection to you and I was determined to get to know you. I couldn't let you walk away that night and thank god I'm a stubborn bastard. I would have never forgiven myself if I'd let you go back at the hotel. Ever since, I promised myself I would keep you safe. I would face any threat that befell you head on. I felt you belonged to me long before you offered me your love in return. I fell in love with you right then and there...at that tacky bar." he laughed again, his voice bright and warm. It sliced threw another layer of the darkness, making the struggle to open her eyes even easier. She had never been more determined in her life to move, to call out to him, to open her eyes and bask in his handsome face.

"All I have wanted to do was protect you..." His impassioned words struck the very core of her soul.

"Kane..." Lita croaked out, her arm twitching, finger's questing in the dirt for him. Kane was quick to retrieve her seeking hand, weaving his fingers with hers and holding tight.

"Oh, god its good to here your voice." His voice quavered as if he was on the verge of tears himself.

She raised her head, her eyes flickering open weakly. She stare up at him dumbly for a few moments, unable to comprehend that she was truly awake again. She saw a soul-deep devotion reflected in his eyes and it took her breath away.

"I will never allow you to suffer again, you are safe with me...always." His smile was infectious and Lita found herself grinning up at him.

"Thats a tall order to keep. I'm a mess, Kane. I have so much buried deep inside of me I doubt you will never be able to understand. Pain and hurt seem to follow me around like a dark cloud." Lita smirked up at him.

His eyes softened. "What I see is a strong, resilient woman who can knock me on my ass with a single look. I see someone who had been hurt so badly she had a hard time learning to trust again. I see someone who has such an amazingly loving spirit, I find myself inspired by. Who strives to protect everyone she loves at the cost of her own life. What I see for us now..." He gave her a knowing smile, brushing some stray hair behind her ear. "I see you with me, forever. Happy and loved until we draw our last breath. I see us living together, having children. Enjoying sunsets and growing old together." His voice grew hoarse and shaky with emotion.

"Together..." Lita whispered, glancing down at their laced fingers. Watching his thumb caress the top of her hand.

"You don't have to fight alone, I'll be with you every step of the way. Thats what love is all about." He promised, pulling her against his chest and holding tight.

"I'm scared, Neville. I do feel...alone. I have always had the girls and Darien to back me up. But ever since becoming Jupiter I realize that this battle ahead...it's mine alone to conquer. You can't follow were I must go and that scares the shit out of me. I am so scared I will lose control again and kill them all..." Lita hissed against his chest, fisting his shirt in both of her hands.

"I'm terrorfied too," He admitted. "But I'm scared that you won't come back to me." He held her to him tightly, wrapping both arms around her like twin steel bands.

The garden had faded away, as its creator had died. Replaced with the reality of shifting shadows of the barren mountain side. Lita held him tight, catching movement over his shoulder. Then the mountain landscape was engulfed in blinding light. Everything went white, the whistle of bullets screamed past her ears. Hollywood yelled and fired back into the searing white light. She heard Kane bite out a curse as he pushed her back, covering her with his own body. She went down hard, cracking the back of her head upon the unforgiving ground. Pain screamed through her body, making her gasp as the full shock that they were under attack took hold. It settled over her with a ferocity she was unprepared for. Adrenaline and terror tore through her, as the howls of Onii echoed from the fading light.

Lita blinked rapidly needing to clear away the white spots that still obscured her sight.

"Kane...can you move?" She cried out, needing to be heard over the rapid fire of gunshots.

Kane lay over her, unresponsive. His face was pressed against the crook of her neck, his full weight pressing against her. When he didn't respond in anyway, raw panic set in. She began to shake him and scream his name. As an ice cold dread settled over her, her breath was taken and every inch of her skin pricked as if struck my millions of needles.

"KANE!" Lita screamed in anguish, reaching for him in desperation as Hollywood rolled him off of her.

"Lita...we gotta go.." He coaxed, pulling at her shoulder's. As she hover over Kane's prone body. He looked as if he was sleeping, but the pool of blood forming beneath his back was unmistakable. He had got shot protecting her...and was bleeding out. She stared down at him, willing his chest to rise. When it quivered just a little, she let out an excited sound. For there was still hope! His breath was shallow a wet gurgle announcing that the bullet had struck his lungs.

Lita fell to her knees, "Stay with me!" She shouted...demanded.

"Christ, you two idiots should have never left me behind!" Cole bellowed, breaking cover from the tall grass along the southern bend of the plateau and sending several shots into the boulder's and dried grass ahead of them. He knelt beside Kane, pressing his fingers into his neck briefly.

"He's alive, but there is no way off this mountain unless I carry him." Cole gave Kane a thorough examination and his face said it all. He was in a bad way.

Hollywood kept up cover fire, crouching before them and firing randomly into the distance.

Lita scowled fiercely at him.

"I am no damn medic! But we got a chopper coming a few miles south west of here." Cole stated. "I'll get him there. You need to get to the peak...I don't think your princess is going to last much longer by herself." Cole looked up over Lita shoulder's forcing her to follow his gaze.

Lita looked up, biting her lower lip hard. The peak was flashing with silver light, each flash becoming less vibrant then the last. Perhaps mimicking the last faint beats of Serenity's heart. Lita was left with a very difficult choice, it would kill her to leave the man she loved. But to abandon her duty to protect her Sovereign, to cast her responsibility aside to save the

earth from this darkness was worse.

"Damn it all! " Lita bellowed to the sky, hating the choice she had to make.

Cole saw such anguish and regret burning in her eyes in that moment. This was the hardest choice any person should have to make. He hated that he was the one to force her hand.

"Alright." She nodded resolutely to Cole. Then turned on her heel and broke into a run. Squeezing her eyes shut tight, willing Kane to survive. She tore off into the night, rounding the bend of large boulder's and loose shale at the cliffs edge and headed upward towards the summit. She nearly lost her footing, skidding out of sight as several bullets ricocheted off the rocks.

"Beryl's men will be on us in seconds." Cole ground out to Hollywood, who was still shooting blindly into the underbrush behind them.

"Then get going." Hollywood called back, nodding towards the boulder's Lita had disappeared behind.

Cole scowled at him, "What about you? Things are getting pretty hot out here, you need to evac too."

"I got my own mission to see threw, there's still one Guardian out there. She's gonna need me, even if shes to stubborn and obstinate to admit it. " Hollywood, flashed Cole a grim smile. "I'm off too, make sure he gets back alive." He commanded, before dashing off down the same trail they had used to get up this ridge.

Leaving Coletrane crouched over Kane's body, staring at the spot were Hollywood had once been. His features set firm in a resolved acceptance. He admired these men, who were capable of showing more selfless courage then any man he had served with before.

"Ok, buddy. Lets get you out of here..." Cole ground out, adjusting Kane into a fireman's carry on his back. Yeah, this was the tightest situation he had been in in a while. He had enemy military heading up to his position along the main trail and Onii converging from the north. He was stuck in the middle of this shit show, left to carry a man who was more dead then alive. He needed a god damn miracle.

The air back on the ridge had been humid, as she moved further up the mountain it cooled and became almost frozen Lita shivered, embracing the cold needing to shed the last of her shock and horror at what she had just experienced. Her past lives echoed in the back of her mind, the pain, confusion and anguish of rebirth. Being forced to relive the same tragic consequences of her first life again and again. An endless round of bloodshed and death she would never be able to leave unless she ended this battle once and for all.

Her Karma, her disgrace and failure as Serenity's protector would continue to haunt her unless she prevailed tonight.

A bitter laugh escaped her as she ran up the narrow dirt path, she missed the fuzzy, confused euphoria that Ruru had cast upon her. Lucidity sucked! Now she had to face the fear that she might fail and have to relive the same tortured existence for another ten thousand years. She needed to stay focused, allowing her mind to wander down such morbid thoughts did no one any good.

The light flashing upon the peak was growing more dim and it filled Lita with panic. She forgot everything else. Uncaring of how sore and stiff her muscles were or the nagging headache she had from using so much of her Genesis state before Ruru had trapped her.

All that mattered was getting to Sere's side. She increased her pace, her heart slamming against her rib cage as she raced upward as fast as her legs could go. Within minutes she was out of breath and her chest was burning from utter exhaustion. She would never make the peak in time at this pace, running. Climbing up this god forsaken rock was futile, Serenity would be long dead before she made the summit.

Lita jogged off the well worn trail, scrubbing a hand down her face in frustrated misery. Moving towards a jagged cliff of loose shale and dark granite. The storm of emotions that raged inside her, roared in her ears. All of this striving seemed so pointless, she felt like she had been fighting her whole life and in many senses she had. She had gone from one turbulent family life to another the only peace she had ever know had been when had been with Serena...Sere...Serenity...

She had been with her in one way or another from one lifetime to another, their souls were eternally linked. She brought upon her great sorrow...yet great happiness as well.

Lita shuffled to the edge, staring forlorn up at the mountain's rocky summit. The moon shone down upon her, it soft light an eternal reminder of their lost kingdom. An innocence destroyed by war and choices that no one should be forced to make.

This world was once again threatened by that great darkness. Made worse by their first failure, it was a primordial evil that had been left to fester and grow for the last ten thousand years. This battle ahead might be so far beyond what they could handle it could be a pointless effort.

Choices...consequences...a tragic fate...or a hopeful destiny...

Lita closed her eyes, and raised her gaze to the moon. A tender smile upon her face.

"I remember it all my Queen...I shall never forget the oath I made to you ever again. This night you shall finally rest, your long night with be over and your daughter shall take her rightful place as this planets ruler. " She raised her arms in supplication, seeking an absolution she knew would never come. Leaning out over the empty space beyond the cliff she allowed herself to fall. Diving into the cold air before the cliff she plummeted towards ridge below.

She had been a Goddess once, had willingly fallen to earth to protect her most precious person for the last ten thousand years. Now was the time for her to reascend into her powers and fulfill her destiny.

The wind rushing against her body was freezing, her bare skin along her arms and legs tightened and became covered in gooseflesh. Her clothes snapped against the wind as she fell like a stone towards the unforgiving earth below.

She kept her eyes closed, focusing on the pure core of herself. The wind roared in her ears, as she sought out the primordial storm that existed in the very fabric of her soul. She was the Goddess of Protection, a daughter of the all father of Jupiter, a warrior goddess who's sole duty was to safe guard the heir to the Silver Millennium.

The explosion that rocked her from the inside out was white hot, blinding in it's intensity. It struck like a bolt of lightening. The wild, uncontrollable force of it's power was overwhelming. It burned away all that she was, as lightening flared around her. Crackling along her arms and legs, thunder boomed in an ever growing crescendo as her body was consumed by her own Genesis.

As quickly as the storm had surged over her body it was recalled back inside. Leaving her once more in her Goddess form. Elegant granite grey plate armour adorned her body, her heavy shoulder guards accented with the royal crest of oak leaves. The sharp lines of her helm were forged to look like a predatory bird of prey. Her mighty halberd was sheathed upon her back, it's two handed hilt rising over her head. Two mighty wings flashed into existence upon her shoulder blades, the feathers a deep green. Lightening crackled amid her lush plumage giving her wing span a shimmering quality that was truly ethereal. Her powerful wings snapped out from her back, catching the updraft and staling her wild descent instantly. She opened her eyes then, her stare was firm and determined, no longer clouded by sorrow or regret. It was time to reclaim the future and put an end to this evil once and for all. She pumped her wings hard, ascending into the night as agile and dangerous as an eagle.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Venus Returns**

 _(I have b een invisib le my whole life. My mother was always to b usy to ever really pay much attention to me. It was understandab le b ut it still sucked. She was a single mom, had b ills to pay, a roof to keep over my head. She worked a full time job during the week that b arely paid the effort she put in. So she had a to take on another job on the weekends...at a strip b ar. With no real education b eyond high school, her choice of career was rather limited. So I sorta raised myself. My father, had very little interest in me. He acted more like an ab sent landlord then a parent. Only showing up when it suited him which was rarely. Tossing my mom a b it of money, as if that was enough to cover the cost of helping her raise me. I came to find out, that he had a b etter life, a b etter wife and children outside the city. Why would he care ab out me, the misb egotten child b orn out of wedlock to his one time mistress._

 _So I learned early on to care ab out numb er one...me. I grew up on the streets. Crashing at friends, my mother's house when it suited me, even the youth shelter a few times when things were getting crazy. It was a hard life, I made a lot of stupid mistakes b ut I always learned from them. I was people savvy, ab le to adapt or manipulate any given situation to my advantage. Be it for personal gain or just survival. I prided myself on the ab ility to always land on my feet, no matter how b ad things got. Ab ove all else I knew b y adulthood that I was a survivor. I could overcome anything._

 _School had always b een ab out cliques. Everyone seemed to find a place to b elong, a niche that suited their personalities or hob b ies or would help them achieve success later in life. Me, I was what you would call a floater. I hung, I never_

 _b elonged to any one group. I wasn't disliked b y anyone, nor did the more popular groups poke fun at me. Honestly, how could anyone make fun of me when they hardly knew I existed._

 _I was a lone wolf, I needed no one and no one needed me. Until I met Sere just b efore high school, I was never alone again. We were a team and soon I could say for the first time in my life I was surrounded b y people I could trust, people I could love unconditionally._

 _People I would give my life for.)_

 _Venus crouched in the darkness of her cell, every muscle was coiled, rigid. Rage so prevalent that it rolled through her like fire. Mar's screams of agony echoed through the cell walls, tearing at her heart and soul. This time when she felt Princess Serenity touch her mind there was no hesitation, she no longer questioned her presence._

" _That vile woman is killing Mars right now, I swear it!" She snarled into the darkness, the raw fury struck Serenity like a_ _physical b low and she recoiled a b it. Venus b oiled with so many intense emotions is was like a roaring tornado howling in her mind. The helpless fury was consuming her. She clenched and unclenched her hands, hatred and loathing clawed at Serenity. Until she flinched away from the negative tide washing over b oth of them. She had no means to reach either of her Senshi physically so she did the only thing she was capab le of doing. She wrapped her spiritual self around Venus and held onto her, offering her whatever comfort she could._

" _You will b e free soon. Believe in that, Venus. I will free Mars too."Princess Serenity's voice was soft b ut full of conviction._

" _I swear upon my own star seed, Princess. I will free Mars and get us out of here!"Venus declared in a low snarl._

 _Serenity sensed strength in her that hadn't b een there b efore. Even after weeks of torture and starvation, Venus's iron will had never wavered. Her determination was renewed and she was ready to fight. Refusing to give up even now when she and Mars were b oth on deaths door._

 _This time there was no pain for Serenity to take on. Venus was b locking it with the intensity of her anger. Her focus was solidly on Mars. Serenity wanted to shield Venus from the terrib le sounds of Mar's suffering. The b eating she was taking was only feeding Venus's rage and determination. So she sat there with her, holding her as she shook with fury._

 _The door to her cell b urst open. Venus shot to her feet, startling Serenity and sending her spirit sprawling a few feet away. Two men in full b lack leather armour stood in the doorway, swords drawn and ready to strike. While two more rushed into the room and forcib ly yanked Venus to her feet. This time they didn't b ind her, b ut dragged her out of the cell, down a dim hallway then another, then another. The walls were a rough cut stone like the inside of a cave, always moving upward at a slow incline._

 _A moment later she was thrust into the sunlight. They tossed her into a snow b ank, forming a defensive circle around her. She cried out in acute pain as the snow b urned her skin, scramb ling b ack into a defensive crouch. Her toes aching as_

 _the ice and snow melted under her b are feet. Darting her eyes from one man to another, keeping track of their movements like a frightened animal. The cold wind howled and frozen sleet struck every inch of Venus's naked b ody. The tiny particles of ice b urned and sliced through her skin like a million needles. She grit her teeth refusing to offer these sadistic b astards anymore amusement at her pain._

 _The light was b linding after so many weeks trapped underground. She threw ab arm over her ravaged eyes. Her sight was distorted, unab le to focus properly. All she saw was flashes, b lurry images of the four men who had dragged her here. Gradually she b linked and squinted enough that she could clear her vision. She sucked in a cold b reath at the b rutal sight b efore her._

 _Mars was standing a few feet away, b loodied and b ruised. Her dark eyes were b leak, b oth Phob os and Deimos lay at her feet. Her familliars had tracked their master to this b arren mountain peak, standing guard for the last few weeks. Phob os would call upon the dawn and Demios would cry out at dusk. Loyal and resilant, they never wavered in their vigil. Until Mars had b een dragged out of the caves, then they must have attacked._

 _Their dark corpses were b roken and twisted together, their b eaks open in a final death scream. They had b een b urned alive b y dark fire, no dou the Dark Queens Torturer. The malicious woman dressed in all b lack armour and lavender cowl, that had b een slowly killing them for the last few weeks. Their deaths had b een a final gamb it to get Mars to talk...Venus was worried that it might have worked?_

" _Mars..." Venus b reathed, knowing that witnessing the b rutal demise of her familiars and b eing powerless to save them_ _would have finally b roken her. Mars had tried to save them, she now b ore a ragged cut that ran down from her temple, over her jaw and lower down her neck. The flesh lay open,weeping b adly, with b lood streaming down her face. There was b oth panic and defeat shining in her eyes,_

" _Don't you do it, Mars! Don't you do it ! I command you to stand down!" Venus shouted, seeing the suicidal rage b urning_ _b ehind all that pain in her eyes. She didn't care anymore, she was ab out to attack them with everything she had left. Uncaring if they took her life in the process._

 _The right side of her face was a mess. There was a ragged slash, crossing down her cheek from her temple. The ugly wound was fresh, b lood streamed down her face. Soaking her neck and smearing across her b are b reasts._

 _Serenity gasped when the tip of a b lade was pressed against Venus's neck. Mars was on the verge of b reaking, they were going to use Venus to finally snap Mar's will. The Dark Queen had no use for Venus anymore. She had grown tired, or b ored, or just frustrated with b oth Guardians refusal to give her the information she wanted._

 _(Now, Venus. You have to fight them. You have your hands. They will not b e expecting you to fight. I can't b ear it anymore. You have to try.)_

 _Venus could feel the tears streaming down her Princess's cheeks as she b eseeched her to fight. Felt her helplessness, her determination to stop their suffering, she could not allow the Dark Queen to murder her Guardian._

 _Power like she had never felt b efore, flooded through their link. The silver light of the Imperium crystal b urned through every nerve, every muscle of her b ody. Until she roared in b oth pain and pure, unrestrained rage. Her b lue eyes dimmed, turning a b rilliant silver as Princess Serenity poured every ounce of her power into her soul._

 _Venus snapped her gaze up, so that she stared Mars straight in the eye. Serenity caught her b reath at the silent exchange b etween her two guardian's. They would fight and may the Goddess of death have mercy upon these soldier's souls b ecause they were not going t reathing much longer._

 _(I'm with you, Venus. I will never leave you again.) Serenity's voice was full of emotion, shaking with fury and so much devotion._

 _The men holding Mars b egan to scream and b ellow the same questions they always asked. Where was the gateway to the Moon? How do you activate the portal?_

 _Mars stood there like a stone, her expression was impassive. Then she sagged in their arms, crumpling to the frozen ground as if she had fainted._

" _All right, all right. I'll talk, just leave her alone." Venus wailed, in anguish. Raising her hands in defeat, luring the men who_ _had dragged her out here just a little closer._

 _Venus's focus was razor sharp, her b ody so full of power from the Silver Crystal her skin was humming._

 _As two of men drew in, she whipped around ramming her fist into the knee of one man holding a sword._

 _Sweeping her feet under the one flanking her, his sword hit the ground. Along with his companion and Venus had that sword b efore either man could react._

 _She thrust the sword through the neck of the man she disarmed, ducking and spinning away to avoid the other two men now converging upon her. Slashing the sword tip through the neck of the man she had tripped, b lood splashed upon the snow staining it a gruesome red. In rapid succession she gutted the last two men. The world was tilting crazily as Venus moved, Serenity had a hard time keeping everything in perspective. As Mars exploded into action, lunging forward to get away from her captors. Venus had managed to kill four of the soldiers, b ut the two around Mars were to far away._

 _One of the soldier's stalked towards Venus, while his partner moved in on Mars. Swinging his sword towards the dark haired Guardian's throat._

 _(NO!) Serenity screamed, this time her voice echoed over the rocky cliffs and snow packed peaks like a thunderclap. Her sudden explosion of sound startled b oth men and they paused in response, glancing around in fear. For her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, shattering the very air itself._

 _Venus took her opportunity and dispatched the man closing in on her swiftly._

 _As Mars twisted away and grappled the soldier's sword out of his hands, slitting his throat in moments._

" _Lets go!" Venus shouted, grab b ing Mar's hand. As several more voices exploded from the cave entrance. The naked_ _women ran for cover, dirt and snow b lew up b eside them as arrows struck the ground. Serenity could hear the sharp whistles of more arrows screaming around them, then the dull thuds of the arrow heads striking trees b eside them._

 _(I need to save you...I need to draw more power from the crystal...b low those Dark Kingdom soldier right to hell!) Serenity's voice echoed in b oth their minds like a vengeful angel._

 _Both Mars and Venus shared a meaningful smile, never imagining that their sweet, little princess could ever b e so full of rage. They felt her righteous anger like a heated b rand upon their skin, right know they knew if she could will that kind of power from the Silver Crystal then she would set this whole mountain on fire and b urn the Dark Kingdom away to ashe._

 _But she was already exhausted and they needed her more then ever. Serenity drew their pain away from them._

 _Ab sorb ing their fear, taking every emotion except their own anger and determination to b e free. She then infused them with every ounce of her resolve._

 _The two women ran through the trees, heavy b rush and over a frozen stream, never stopping or looking b ack. The angry sounds of men grew more distant, shouts of alarm went silent._

 _(Keep Running!) Serenity b egged in their minds._

 _After an hour, Mars went down, this time she didn't get b ack up. Huddled in the dirt and snow b efore a wayward pine, she was b leeding heavily from several wounds. Her face was ashen and her b reathing was soft and lab oured._

" _Get up, Eris. Come on, we gotta keep going. They'll b e tracking us, we haven't b een very sub tle in our attempt to elude_ _them." Venus encouraged, crouching b efore her and pulling on her arm gently. Glancing b ehind them and glaring ruefully at the wide, clumsy set of tracks they left in the snow._

" _I can't do it, Cytherea. Go on without me. Do not let me drag you down." Mars growled out, wincing in agony and_ _wrapping her arms around her rib s._

" _Hold your tongue! We go as a team...always! I will never leave you, we are the Princess's royal guard and I forb id you to_ _die now! Even if I have to carry your ass out of these mountains." Venus professed, her eyes b urning with tears and determination._

" _I don't think I'm going to make it..." Mars stated in a raspy voice. "They b roke something inside of me this time. Pretty_ _sure I'm b leeding internally. You have to leave me."_

 _Venus's hands curled into fists, frustration washed out from her and b athed the Princess._

 _(Serenity...help. Please, I don't know what to do now?) Venus called out to her in her mind, the intensity of her desperation slamming into the princess. Making her stagger against the rough stone of the cave wall she was hiding in._

 _(I'm connected to you right now...I don't know if I can change my focus right now...I'm still not so adept at using the Silver Crystal. My powers are not trustworthy...kinda random.) Serenity responded sadly._

 _(Try...please Princess. For me...Use me...Do whatever you have to do.) Venus pleaded._

 _Serenity wanted to scream in frustration, sensing Venus' s panic and worry._

 _Serenity's own panic was rising and she tried valiantly to keep it from spilling over into Venus. She didn't need her crazed emotions piling up onto her own. She had to b e strong for her..._

 _Serenity took a deep b reath and sought calm, she needed to do this. What ever the cost, she had to save them. She owed her Guardian's, the Earth King and his General's so much. She needed to overcome all_

 _the trails and trib ulations that lay ahead. If it ended in her own death, then so b e it...it was a price she was willing to pay._

 _(You need to touch her, Venus. Put your hand on her so I can help.) Serenity coaxed._

 _Venus dropped down and put her hands on Mar's chest._

" _Venus...what are you doing. Stop dawdling and get out of here." Mars ground out in pain._

" _Shut up! Mars. We go together." Venus stated, ob stinately. (Do it now, Princess...Hurry)_

 _Serenity opened herself fully to the Silver Crystal. It b omb arded her with so much power, she was staggered. Sagging against the cold stone of the cave, she willed herself to stay strong as she channeled that power outward towards Mars. (Keep it together...Serenity. I can maintain these links...I can prevail..) Sweat b eaded upon her forehead. Her b reathing went shallow and she teetered precariously on her feet. Hot white light flooded her consciousness. She felt Venus's surprise as she too, felt the power of the Silver Crystal moving through her. The healing energy washed through Venus, flooding over Mars in a cocoon of holy light._

 _Mars eyes flew open. Color washed b ack into her face, the gash along her damaged cheek drew closed and healed instantly. She b egan to draw in deep b reaths. "Oh my..." She gasped in awe._

 _Serenity never let up, pushing all of the Crystal's energy threw Venus. She was weakening quickly and she knew there was still a long way to go b efore Mars was healed. Getting them b oth safely away from the Dark Kingdom Soldier's now hunting them was another fight yet to come._

 _Then Mars b roke away suddenly. "Thats enough!" Her voice was harsh and laced with worry. Serenity understood, she had connected to the Guardian of War many times over the weeks as well. She knew how taxing this would b e upon her._

 _(Serenity...) Venus called out in her mind, hearing her princess's soft moan of pain threw their link. It splintered her heart and sudden panic b urned threw her. ( Princess, are you alright? Stay with me..I know your weak b ut we still need you?)_

 _(It's alright, Venus. I'm fine, I am not dying...I feel like it) Serenity voice was light and sweet laughter echoed threw Venus's mind. (Mars b roke the link b efore it got to b e to much for me to handle. I wasn't ab le to heal her completely. But she should b e ab le move now...I can't say for how long.)_

 _Venus closed her eyes in relief. (Thank you, Princess.)_

 _(Break away from me now!) Mars voice invaded b oth Venus and Serenity's link. Her voice was hard and demanding. (I can feel how weak you are now, I have no idea where you are or what kind of mess you might b e in right now. But b e careful and as soon as this is over and we find you. You have a lot of explaining to do and I want to make damn sure you are alright!)_

 _Venus gasped and spun upon Mars, her face full of shock that she was capab le to connect to her link with Serenity, with b oth Phob os and Deimos dead. The ravens had b een her connection to the spiritual world she didn't think that power was still possib le for Mars?_

 _(I promise.) Serenity's tone was quiet, now sounding more like a chastised child then a fully grown woman. She could feel the fear Mars felt towards her condition. She understood that her wounds had b een fatal and that her princess had taken them upon herself when she was healed. Serenity could b e in real b ad shape and not letting on._

 _(Serenity...) Venus called weakly. (Are you still with me?)her voice was worried. It cut through the anxiety she felt ab out_

 _b reaking her connection to Mars. Serenity took a deep fortifying b reath and then focused all her attention b ack on Venus._

 _(I'm here. Get Mars up and get moving...I need you to head south, along the ridge and then west...over a narrow pass...b elow wit thick forest of evergreens and spruce is a valley..help awaits you there.)_

 _Venus nodded and reached down for Mars, pulling her up to her feet and half dragged, half carried her farther into the trees._

" _I can walk!" Mars ground out, ripping her arm out of Venus's grasp savagely. Falling to the ground with a yelp. She_ _stub b ornly crawled a few feet away, snatching a long, thick stick from under an ancient pine. Then slowly raised herself up, leaning heavily upon the b ranch. Her face was set in a grim frown as she shuffled forward. Determined to move forward under her own power. She didn't grimace when she walked and her steps quickened easily with the aid of her walking stick._

 _Serenity b reathed a sigh of relief and concentrated on helping Venus. As the two Guardian quickly left the patch of forest b ehind for more rocky terrain. They cut a path through a narrow ravine. It got so tight that they had to turn sideways to edge through. Rocks cut into Venus's feet, b ut she shielded her princess from the pain. The soles of her feet were soon damp with b lood._

 _The terrain levelled out when the ravine opened up into a wider valley. The Guardian's kept to the ridge line, moving stealthy through the b rush. Just b efore they could slip into another more dense patch of trees, the whine of an arrow sliced through the air. Then pain exploded through Venus's leg, as th arrow head tore through her calf. She stumb led and went down._

 _(Venus!, Oh...goddess...Oh, b lessed crystal...) Serenity voice echoed in Venus's mind. Without thinking, Serenity used every b it of her flagging strength to draw away her pain and heal her. Agony pulsed down her leg and b lood seeped into the thin layers of her pure white skirts. She flooded Venus with hope, determination...and rage. She took away the pain, gritting her teeth against the urge to scream out. As spiritual fire coursed through her veins. She couldn't afford to give away her hiding place...at least not yet._

 _(Get up! You're alright, Venus...you gotta keep going!) She shouted._

 _This time it was Mars who reached down and pulled Venus to her feet._

 _(Thank you...Princess.) Venus responded, her tone was somb er b ut full of steel._

 _Serenity closed her eyes, her consciousness sliding slowly into ob livion. She had to hold on, she had to keep them strong. She couldn't falter now. Not now...not ever...She had made each of them a promise._

 _That she would never leave them again...free them...that she would protect them...until they were safe._

 _She wouldn't fail!_

 _Venus and Mars charged into the over grown woods and then took cover b ehind an thick spruce. Its heavy b ranches hanging low, holding weeks worth of snow._

 _Serenity sensed Venus's determination that they would never b e taken alive again. That she would die fighting and take as many of those b astards with her._

 _Blood ran more freely down her leg, Serenity never glanced down to see the extent of her injuries. She merely grit her teeth, as the pain b ecame unb earab le. She was further weakened b y the fact that not only had she taken Venus's pain she was also shielding her Guardian from feeling her own agony._

 _Her head pounded, nausea washed over her and the tunnel vision she was now enduring of the damp cave surrounding her, swam in rapid circles._

 _(Serenity..for goodness sakes. You have to stop this.) Mars invaded her mind._

 _(Back off...Eris...You are distracting me.) Serenity ground out, not expecting that Mars could reconnect their link with out her approval. Her ravens were dead? How was she doing this?_

 _All at once Serenity felt warmth and strength pour into her, b olstering her up when she needed it the most._

 _(Eris...Mars...) Serenity b reathed in disb elief._

 _(Our link can go b oth ways, Princess...) Mars responded, her voice calm and full of an immortal knowledge of the Spiritual Realm that her princess had yet to learn. (You have to unlock Venus's powers, that Evil Queen sealed b oth our Star Seeds. You lack the power to free b oth of us at once. I can deal with my own seal later. Hurry!)_

 _Serenity didn't argue, she didn't have the strength and she couldn't afford to slip her focus away from Venus. She delved deep into Venus's inner self, seeking out her star seed. Finding it sealed away in the same manner as Mars. A darkness shrouded the vib rant light of her star seed. Walled it away b ehind an impenetrab le fortress, b uilt upon malice and despair. Serenity pushed against that wall tentatively, unwilling to shattering it all at once. The dark energy was far to powerful for her to handle all at once, she needed to investigate its fortifications first. To find the chinks and vulnerab le spots in its armour, then she would b egin to dismantle it. Unravel the tapestry of the seal one loosened weave at a time, until it was gone. The emotional energies used to create it no longer interconnected, the spell unb ound and left to dissipate b ack into the ether._

 _Serenity worked diligently at the seal, untying and pulling free each weave. Venus felt her princess pulling at her spirit. It was unnerving and she gripped the sides of the tree trunk, her eyes wide in b oth fear and wonder._

" _Be calm, Venus. Do not fight Serenity, allow her to b reak the seal." Mars encouraged, leaning heavily against the trunk_ _b eside her._

" _Her connection is so much more intense then b efore...more intimate..." Venus gasped, squeezing her eyes shut. Her_ _soul quivered in response to Serenity's invasion, as she slowly, gently, unb ound her Senshi powers. Venus gasped and her eyes flew open in sudden alarm and pride when the heat of her powers coursed through her b ody once again._

 _Mars saw the change in her Sister in Arms, the cocky, confidence, flaring in her b lue eyes once again._

" _Make your attacks count, Venus. If you don't hit your marks, we are done." Mars stated, her dark lavender eyes fierce._

 _Venus stepped b ack from the tree, b owing her head and curling her left hand into a fist. Raising her arm up over her head and then spread her finger's wide. Gathering all the light from the universe and channeling it down her fingers, her arm to her star seed. With a flash of b rilliant gold light, she stood tall in her Guardian armour. Of an elab orate gold chain mail b reastplate, covering a tan leather shirt and b reaches. Sweeping arm guards, leg and shoulder pieces that resemb led the rays of the sun protected her. At her left hip was an elegant b road sword, on her right hip a coiled chain made of pure light. Her b londe hair snapped like a cape at her b ack, a b rilliant if sassy smile spread over her lips. Her b lue eyes flaring with power and vengeance._

" _I got this!" Venus nodded, her smile twisting into a fierce scowl. Uncurling her chain of light, she snapped it out at her_ _side. It flared to life like a living thing, stretching and lengthening as if waking from sleep._

 _More arrows slapped the trees and ground around them. Mars ducked b ehind a different tree, further out of range._

 _Glancing over her shoulder at Venus, as she retreated._

" _They are still a good distance away. Don't attack until your sure you got them." Mars advised._

 _Venus merely nodded, used to Mars and her b ossy, know it all attitude when she was stressed out._

 _She was their leader and far superior to the rest of the Senshi concerning comb at and strategy. But arguing the point with Mars was a useless endeavour and it was easier to just concede._

 _The valley around them went deathly quiet. Wind howled eerily through the trees, twigs snapped nearb y. Chills vib rated down Serenity's arms. She was Venus's only b arrier to the b itter cold, already Mars was shivering violently. She was her only protection from the pain of all the injuries she had sustained earlier, that should have her unconscious and on the ground._

 _She needed to hold out just a little longer, until this was over. Slipping down the cave wall, Serenity forced every once of her remaining energy to remain conscious and linked to her Senshi._

 _In the distance the Dark Kingdom Soldiers crept forward, drawing closer to her Senshi's position. Mars held up a finger to tell Venus to hold._

" _Wait," the raven haired Guardian mouthed._

 _Venus nodded and tightened her grip upon the hilt of her whip of light. Its length glowed and snapped with energy in need of release._

 _The soldiers were ab out a hundred yards away, when hoof b eats thundered threw the trees. Five armoured men on horseb ack exploded from the tree line up on the northern ridge. They charged down the valley, screaming their war cries, swords gleaming in the faint sun light of mid day. The dark soldier's who had b een pursuing them, stopped and quickly turned tail and ran. The archers shot wildly at the charging men, tripling and scramb ling for cover in the trees._

" _What the hell?" Venus laughed, tears of pure joy flowing down her face. As she watched Endymion and his generals_

 _stampede into the trees after the soldiers._

 _Mars stared, mystified. Her heart b eating so fast and so hard it was nearly b reaking free from her chest._

" _Thank you, Princess," Venus b reathed, "They've come for us..."_

 _The hard sound of hooves echoed just b ehind them, b oth Mars and Venus turned to find Mercury and Jupiter on_

 _horseb ack. Cresting the upper ridge of loose shale and snow, making their way down to the trees. Venus had never b een so happy to see her sister in arms in her whole life. She wanted to run to them, as they cantered their mounts threw the fringe of pines at the b ottom of the valley. She wanted to scream their names and wave her arms franticly. But she remained under cover b ehind a tree, as Mars limped up b eside her. The most glorious smile gracing her face._

 _They paid no attention to the screams of their enemies b eing stuck down b y Endymion and his men. Their hearts b ursting with joy at finally b eing free...feeling safe and protected once more in the company of family and friends._

 _Mars couldn't help it, she swung an arm over her head and gave a cry of victory. Jub ilation filled Venus._

 _(We did it, Serenity!)_

 _Venus waited for the reassuring response from her Princess b ut she had fallen silent. Dread gripped her until finally she felt the faintest glimmer of her pressence stir. Warmth b lossomed through out her b ody again, soothing her worry and physical agony._

 _(I knew you could do it.) Serenity responded softly._

 _Her confidence imb ued Venus with strength and she walked out of cover from b ehind the staggered from the tree line, as Mars started out as well. The two Senshi helped each other as they went to meet their comrades. As they drew closer to Mercury and Jupiter, Venus's pulse quickened and tears b lurred her vision._

" _Mercury...Jupiter..." Venus croaked, as Mars sagged against her. Dropping her stick and draping an arm around her_ _shoulders, needing more aid to keep moving forward._

 _Venus grunted and wrapped a steadying arm around Mar's b ody, accepting her weight with out missing a step._

 _Tears streamed down Mars's face, the full force of her grief at losing Phob os and Deimos hitting her hard. Along with the exhilaration of finally knowing freedom again, after nearly giving up all hope._

 _Adrenaline left Venus, even Serenity's unwavering support could not b olster her up any longer. Venus dropped to her knees as Mercury and Jupiter dismounted and rushed to their sides._

 _It was like a dam b reaking, pain flooded through her. The fire of exhaustion b urned through her limb s, muscles throb b ed and ached from over use. Even her veins demanded rest._

 _Venus realized that Serenity's strength was gone. She could no longer shield her, she had protected them b oth for far to long already. She glanced up to see horror upon Mercury's and Jupiter's face as they ran towards them. She understood how gaunt, completely naked and b loody they must look._

 _They had just escaped hell, the agony of the ordeal tore threw her b ody until she was consumed in agony. She pitched forward, b racing her palms against the b itter cold of the snow as Mercury and Jupiter surround her._

 _(You're safe now..) Serenity's voice was weak as she finally withdrew. Her departure felt final this time. Not like the other times when she promised to come b ack._

 _(Please, stay on earth. Be free, safe and happy. I need to finish this on my own terms.) Then she was gone, leaving a giant yawning hole in the pit of Venus's soul. Her fingers curled into the thin layer of snow, clawing up frozen dirt. "No! Don't do this! Goddamn it, don't leave!"_

" _Venus, calm down. It's me...Mercury. Your ok, now. We're here. We are not going to leave you. We are going to take you_ _b ack to our camp."_

 _As Mercury knelt down to help Venus up, she went b allistic. The fury, sorrow and frustration at all that had happened to her finally overwhelming her common sense. She had never felt so alone in her life._

 _She struck out with b oth fists, clipping Mercury in the jaw when the b runette attempted to evade the attack. Falling_

 _b ackwards on her b utt, rub b ing her chin tenderly. Her dark b lue eyes full of fear and worry as she watched Venus wail_

 _towards the grey, unfeeling sky._

" _Don't go! Don't go! Please don't leave me." Venus screamed b rokenly._

 _Jupiter had just hauled Mars up into the saddle of her war horse, leaving the raven haired Senshi to sag forward against the mighty horses neck in exhaustion. As she raced b ack to Venus's side, kneeling b efore the grieving Senshi, palming her face with b oth hands and holding her focus. As she lowered her face until they were mere inches apart. "Cytherea, we here. We are going to take care of you now. Everything is going to b e alright. We are getting out of here."_

" _She's gone..." Venus gasped out._

" _Who?" Mercury asked, her guts twisting with a nagging dread that she already knew who._

" _Serenity...she's is leaving us b ehind...here on earth..." Venus croaked out, the words were painful. Her throat was raw_ _from screaming Tears streamed down her face, as she confronted Jupiter. Then she closed her eyes as pain engulfed her, collapsing to the cold earth b arely lucid. There was just to much pain, to much loss. In her mind, Venus had an image of her Princess huddled in a cave high up in the mountains. Curled up into a tight b all, suffering alone from using the Silver Crystal for far to long. It was more then she could b ear then her mind went b lank._

 _Mercury knelt b eside Venus, surveying the array of ugly wounds criss crossing her whole b ody. The extent of the damage was unb elieviab le, no human would have survived it. But Venus was a Senshi, b orn from the b loodline of the Gods. Bearing a will and endurance far greater then a mere mortal._

" _I thought she was going into the Dark Kingdom?" Mercury admitted, her mind reeling at the prospect that Serenity was_ _heading b ack to the Moon alone to take on her mother._

 _Jupiter stared at her in horro and disb elief. "We have to hurry!" She declared, hauling Venus's limp b ody up in her arms and draping her over Mercury's mount._

 _They never waited for Endymion and his generals to return. Urging their mounts into a full run, they raced towards the Moon Temple._

 _Thousands of lives washed over her, through her unconscious self. She ab sorb ed as much as she could, b ut the trauma and regret was ceaseless. Always the failures of her first life would seep into her current self, affecting her in such terrib le ways. There was no mercy, no peace...just war...and regrets..._

Mina was roughly shaken awake, snapping her eyes open in sudden alarm. Confronting the looming figure of Hollywood hovering over her. A tight frown marring his face. She came instantly to awareness, the grim fuge of her past lives drifting away back into the recesses of her mind. Blinking numbly for a moment as she rose threw the layers of dream and back to reality. Moonlight shone down upon the barren plateau she had been sprawled upon. The gentle light illuminated her surroundings faintly, falling upon a body a few feet away.

A woman with short, curly blonde hair lay face down in the dirt. She was barely dressed, in a tight black halter and short flowing skirt, with a white taffeta underskirt. That made the skirt fluff out as if it was a ballerina's tutu. It was a rather tacky outfit, making her look like a slutty pop star. Mina had cringed at the sight of it, she felt her own fashion sense was way better.

The young woman's arms were twisted behind her back, her legs curled backwards as if she had died while being bound. An ugly gash circled her neck, her skin blackened and crusted by a deadly burn. Matching burns circled her wrists and ankles, illustrating how viciously she had been killed.

Mina swallowed hard as the memories of her gruesome battle with the Queen's general flooded through her. She had a Genesis power to manipulate sound waves, her voice capable of such high frequencies she had nearly burst Mina's eye drums. Mina had been on the defensive for most of the battle, ducking from one hiding place to another. Able to shoot off a few bolts of light, before Mimete's sound attacks made her insanely dizzy and disorientated. So that she had no choice but to put more distance between them. Her tactics soon changed from one of capture to simply trying to kill her.

"Mimi Hanyu..." Mina whispered, staring grimly down at the body. She had lain in wait, in the canopy of a ancient tree. When Memete drew in close, taunting her with her arrogant sing, song voice. Mina had snared her around the neck with her whip and hoisted her up into the tree. Coiling her burning chain of light around her body, her wrists and her legs like a python. Twisting and constricting the young woman until her neck snapped and her ribs were crushed.

"Who?" Hollywood glanced briefly at the corpse, nodding in acknowledgement.

"She was from America, lured by the Queen with the promise of becoming a Pop Idol." Mina laughed bitterly. She had

similar dreams of wealth and acceptance, if it wasn't for Raye's love and her friends she might have allowed such goals to become an all consuming obsession. Just like this woman had.

"How did you know all that?" Hollywood smirked.

"She never shut up about herself!" Mina snapped back. She didn't want to reminisce about how she had just snuffed out the life of a human being. Who would now have dreams and aspirations never achieved. It was a terrible feeling, knowing she had killed another person. But she had had no choice, it was kill or be killed that was the position the Queen had placed them in.

"She wanted my body...my soul...for her master..." Mina snarled, wondering what further evil awaited them upon the summit.

"Damn..." Hollywood growled, scrubbing a hand down his face in agitation.

As the world flashed with brilliance, as if a huge flare had gone off in the sky above. Mina cried out in alarm and shot her gaze towards the summit.

"Sere..." She breathed, scrambling to her feet.

Hollywood had already seen several flashes of light on his way up the mountain. What ever was going on up there, Sere was fighting for her life.

"Lets get up there, then." Hollywood rose to his feet and offered her a hand up. Mina accepted it and soon they were charging down a narrow path of loose earth up towards the summit.

Her rage was swelling out of control as they cut a path through the upper forest. Hollywood could barely keep up. Serenity needed her and that was enough for Mina to summon inhuman endurance and speed to scale this mountain in minutes. Fear clawed at her, that she might already be to late and another reincarnation awaited her in the end. Their destiny's stalled yet again.

She had been jealous of the others, that they had managed to ascend before her. She had felt so inadequate, left behind in regards to Sere's protection. What she had believed was a boon, turned out to a curse. She should have relished her ignorance of the past. Trusted in what her friends had said, that knowing the truth was far more brutal. Ever since high school, Lita, Raye, Amy...and her. They had been a team, their sole purpose was to love and protect Sere. They lived, breathed the same air, they had a bond so close it was unexplainable.

"Mina you need to slow down." Hollywood called, as she had now pulled far ahead. Rounding a bend in the trail and disappearing from view. She was lost to her troubled thoughts, her nagging dread that Sere might be dead before she even got there. She couldn't slow down, if anything she needed to move faster! Mina broke into a full sprint up the path, the Queen was going to was no doubt about that. For all the suffering her selfish actions had inflicted upon her daughter...upon them all. Mina kept up her ruthless pace through the trees, focusing on her rage and the need to exact her revenge upon Queen Selene. Her pulse was like a hammer, pounding furiously through out her body. Charging her whole body with energy. More flashes of light exploded over the sky, violent and desperate.

What was going on up there?

Mina entertained countless scenarios, none were positive.

Sere was fighting all alone...she needed her...needed them.

Mina charged through the last of the thick overgrowth, running at top speed down a plateau towards a cliff. She screamed to the heavens in futility, as she skidded to an abrupt stop at the very edge. Lacking the hope, the faith to make that final leap. As the sky was seared with light, transforming the mountain side into a fake dawn.

"Serenity!" She screamed.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

 **Hours previous**

Sere circled the ruins high above, searching the dark monoliths of crumbling stone for Rini. Finding no trace of her, she was resolved to search the lonely ruins on foot. Diving silently into the labyrinth of ancients stones. Gloom and cold seeped into her, sending a chill down her spine. Her feet touched down gracefully upon the barren ground, small clouds of dust billowed up around her thin white slippers. Her pure white wings faded away in a brilliant flash of light, a few feather's floated to the ground. Exploding into starlight as they settled upon the earth.

Biting her lower lip, she glanced around nervously. The dank smell of decay was thick in the air, this place reminded her of a tomb. Broken walls surrounded her on all sides, stone pillars lay crumbling or collapsed several yards away. This was all that was left of the great moon temple, it had once been a wonder of beauty and power. Built atop the very peak of Mount Moon as close to heaven as the mortals could get. An earthly palace of lush gardens, endless promenades of white pillars and shimmering rotundas of crystal. Filled with earthly priests and acolytes, who paid homage to her mother Queen Selene. They praised her name, taught her precepts to all who wished to worship here. Guardians of her wisdoms and the only gateway to Heaven. What lay decaying around her was a sad epitaph of a long dead kingdom.

Sere felt no real connection to these ruins, just a mild sense of loss. She had lived far to many life times here on earth in the last ten thousand years. She was no longer a child of heaven but mortal. Her loyalties lay here on earth, the Moon and it's kingdom was a far off memory she had very little connection too. Sere took a deep breath, choosing a direction at random and began to walk. From the air she understood that this was miles of ruins and it would take hours to find Rini. The sky was dark overhead and filled with an eternity of star light, the full moon hung bloated over the western horizon. It's faint light illuminating the stones with a soft, eerie glow. Her feet made lonely crunching sounds as she walked. The silence that reigned amid this haunted place was timeless. Many ghosts of her past lay within these crumbling walls and broken pillars. Leaving her feeling anxious and terribly unsettled inside. Sere soon found herself clutching her arms around her chest. Rubbing away the chill that had settled upon her skin. Faded memories of the glory of this place surrounded her as she gazed mournfully upon the ruins. She had known this place, played within its halls as a child and trained with her mother to wield the Silver Crystal. Bathed and was cleansed in the temples natural springs. The priests had dotted upon her, as the heir to the Imperium throne. She had been the most treasured child both in heaven and on earth. This place was sacred and the Celestial powers it tapped into was a tangible thing, clinging to the crumbling structures that flanked her like an eerie phantom. The power hummed, faint and mournful from the stones. So similar to the song of the Silver Crystal yet alien to her as well. It was discordant, slightly off tune as if the singer was sick. It called to her, like a faint wail of the damned. A whispering croon of the dead, seeking her aid...pleading for a salvation that had yet to come. Sere wished to banish the low hum from her ears, it turned her stomach and made her feel sick. It was out of tune and struggling to be heard. Nagging at her, at the very edge of her hearing. She cringed and pressed her hands to her ears, as if that might silence the odd sounds.

 _ **Breathe**_

Sere sucked in a startled breath as her mother's voice echoed in her mind. She could not tell if the word was spoken from memory or if the tainted queen was really speaking to her. Either way it did not fill her with a sense of calm confidence as it once had. Leaving her shaken and confused instead. Yet she could not deny its impact, as she took that deep breath. Closing her eyes she shuttered and moved towards the crumbled stump of a broken pillar. The strange singing faded away as she calmed herself. Taking in one breath after another, finding a meditative rhythm to soothe her mind and settle her heartbeat. Sitting down upon the broken pillar's smooth, cold stone. Her white gown fluttering around her ankles, the silken material whispering in the darkness. Pressing a palm of one hand against her forehead she bowed her head in tired submission. Resting her elbow against her knee, she fought against the need to cry. The weight of her sadness and guilt over what she had done to everyone was slowly breaking her.

Flashes of long forgotten memories had been haunting her thoughts since entering this hallowed place. Those faint images of her first life had gained more power as she wandered here. The barrier her mother had erected in her mind to keep her from reliving her life as Princess Serenity had been weakening. It would only take one good emotional jolt to shatter that seal and she would be submerged in the memories of her past. So strong was the connection to her first life here, she knew her current self would be dragged under and drowned by the power of her first life. Losing herself to her past frightened her like nothing else every had.

Her heart was racing at the daunting prospect of finally reclaiming her whole existence. At her soul finally becoming

whole again. She wanted it! Yet a part of her was scared and filled with grief. She would gain untold power and full control of the Silver Crystal, yet she would no longer be human. Her earthly life as Usagi...as Serena would be over. She didn't know if she was ready for that, if a person could ever be truly ready to become a goddess.

With a growl, she shot up to her feet refusing to wallow in this useless melancholy. Holding her head up, she stomped away, frustrated with her sudden cowardice. Forcing herself to stop thinking about her endless shortcomings. Focusing only on what needed to be done, on what truly mattered. She needed to save this world, if it cost her everything so be it! She would do everything within her power to save her Mamoru and everyone she loved. This time she would not fail!

"So you chased me all the way here?" Mamoru's voice was as cold and dark as the ruins that surrounded her.

Sere spun, clutching a hand nervously to her breast. Her heart pounded against her ribs as her breath was quick to leave her.

"Mamoru..." She began, finding him dressed in his ancient armour she quickly changed her greeting.

"Endymion...It's me...Serenity..." She pleaded, her voice soft and filled with trepidation. Desperate to reach him, her eyes flying wide in horror. Her vision misting with tears as terror griped her heart.

A dark shadow loomed behind him, flowing and billowing like a deathly phantom. What was that? Who? She could feel a great evil just behind him. It's malicious focus directed straight at her.

Swallowing hard she took several steps back from her beloved. She was transfixed upon Endymion's eyes, they had no light...no life? Soulless, blue pools stared back at her as if his body was truly dead and he was being animated by that vile dark energy.

A shrill cackling broke her trance and she shot her gaze to the left. Finding Rini sauntering arrogantly from around a nearby pillar. The dark version of her princess gown swirled around her ankles as she folded her twilight wings behind her. Her smile was smug as she moved with confident grace towards Endymion. Holding the glowing silver crystal fondly to her breast. It's color was no longer pure, a darkness swirled within the facets. It's hum was low and out of tune, calling to her. The crystals eternal voice was painful to hear, like a crying child it didn't understand what was happening only that it felt so terribly sick. It's mournful song brought Sere to tears, she desperately wanted to get her crystal away from Rini. To heal it...purify it again. But she didn't know how...not without killing poor Rini. That would never be a viable plan, so Sere stood her ground instead.

"Rini..." Sere pleaded, reaching for her and stepping into her path. Preventing her from reaching Endymion.

Rini stopped and glared threatening up at Sere.

"What happened to you? This is wrong...so wrong..." Sere felt the tears falling, hot and wet down her face. She was desperate to reach Rini, to save her from the darkness tainting her soul. Twisting her heart into something...cruel. Tainting her soul and forcing her to become someone she truly wasn't.

"You need to wake up! You can't destroy the earth...this is were you were born!" The need to save her over powered Sere's good sense and she made a sudden move to grab the crystal.

"No!" Rini bellowed, the crystal flared to life in her hands. It's light flashed angrily from her palm, illuminated the ruins briefly. A deep, sickly darkness swirling in the depths of its light. Rini cast sparks of darkness towards her. Out of instinct, Sere's own Genesis state came to life. She crossed her arms before her, her twin shakra's forming a small shield. Like a handful of small, yet powerful explosions. Rini's attack sent her flying and screaming several yards away. The Queen had enhanced her powers, the link she had created to the Silver Crystal magnifying Rini's Genesis State. The teen was far to powerful, to mentally unstable and far to dangerous now. Sere landed hard on her back in the dirt. Stunned and slightly unsteady, she rolled and scrambled back to her feet. If she hadn't shielded herself Rini's attack would have killed her instantly. Groaning in pain, she rolled back onto all fours and forced herself to stand again.

"This place means nothing to me." Rini announced coldly, ignoring Sere completely as she sauntered over to Endymion's side. Folding herself against him, she glared at Sere defiantly.

"Now that I have my beloved Prince, this place can rot for all I care." She snarled.

Sere was so overwhelmed with hopelessness she couldn't move. Once more frozen in place, she could only watch in horror as Rini seduced Endymion again. Her hand slithering up his chest and twisting around his neck. Drawing his face down towards her waiting lips. Their heated kiss was a sickening sight, that filled Sere with dread.

"Rini, please wake up! You are precious to me...I can't fight you." Sere called, her voice shaking with sorrow. "I lov you...this isn't you. Your a gentle soul, sweet and stubborn. You have always been frank with me, putting me in my place when ever my head got to swollen. You kept me grounded, kept me honest and forced me to be a better person. I want my real Rini back!" Sere screamed in desperation.

"Don't talk to me like you know me! You know nothing about me!" Rini screamed back, furious at Sere's attempt to find a connection with her. The crystal flared to life again, its light flashing with rage towards the sky. Her hatred and resentment towards Sere was so raw and beyond her control. Rini lashed out again with her dark powers, sending an even more powerful bombardment of energy missiles towards her.

Sere grit her teeth and once again crossed her shakras before her, her slippers digging into the soft dirt as the explosions blinded her and pushed her backwards several more feet. Leaving her drained and out of breath, she blinked away the spots in her vision. Clearing both her head and her sight, struggling to control both her shattered heart and her raging emotions. She stared in disbelief at both Rini and Endymion.

"He belongs to me now. There is nothing you can do to free him from my control." Rini taunted, spinning the crystal upon a raised finger as she strode away.

"Hurt her!" She commanded as she moved towards the swirling dark fog allowing it to swallow her whole.

"Rini!" Sere screamed, the sight of her young friend being devoured by darkness resurrected her courage. She dashed forwards desperate to grab the teenager before she was completely enveloped.

She made it only a couple steps before Endymion's fist struck her in the stomach. She coughed and retched in pain, reeling back a couple steps to confront him.

Tears streamed down her face as she stumbled away, choking on blood as she had bit her bottom lip when he had stuck her. She couldn't reach him, he was staring right through her as if she was nothing.

"Oh...god..." She moaned, she felt so vulnerable...so weak. She was unwilling to use her Genesis powers on him. She couldn't hurt him...or take the chance that she might kill him. There had to be another way?

With out a word, he unsheathed his sword from behind his back. Stalking towards her, moving at a relentless pace. He held the sword before him ready to thrust it through her when he got close.

"Run! Princess! Run now!" Luna's panicked voice penetrated through her terror and misery. All her senses were alert and highly focused as she turned on her heel and dashed away. Catching sight of the black feline perched atop the naked buttress of a near by column. Her small body outlined by the soft glow of the moon, as it hung heavy and full just behind her. Her yellow eyes were sad but fierce as she watched Endymion advance. Ready to pounce upon him if she needed to. Making sure her charge escaped unharmed.

Sere ran blindly down a narrow colonnade, glancing over her shoulder her eyes flaring in alarm to find Endymion running after her. His face was twisted into a vile smile, as if hunting her down was the greatest of games. His tainted joy at the thought of killing her, was like a dagger to the heart. Sere forced herself to stare forward, needing to focus on escaping him. She had no idea how to save him...no way to reclaim the Silver Crystal...she was just reacting right now. Running blind through the ruins with no real plan.

Luna was leaping from pillar to buttress along the columns, keeping pace to her princess. Keeping a close eye on the up coming pathways and Endymion behind.

"Thats not him...my Mamoru could never be so cruel." Sere called up franticly to Luna seeking desperately to explain his actions. The cat merely grunted in agreement as she leaped from the last pillar along the corridor. Landing with perfect balance upon Sere's shoulder, as the young woman ran beyond the broken debris of stone and mortar. Entering a wide open courtyard of grey flagstones. The stones were cracked, some crumbled to dust under her rushing feet. The remains of a central fountain dominated the center of the yard, what remained of the water in the circular reservoir had turned into a stagnate pool of mud and putridity. The sour stench assaulted her nose as she ran by, making her gag and cough. She paid the fountain a mild grimace, racing across the barren yard at top speed not wanting to make an easy target of herself. This was insane! Never in all her lives did she ever think she would be running for her life from the man she loved. She made it to the center of the barren flagstones, when a dry whispering sound caught her attention. Darting her eyes down she noticed to late the thorny vine now slithering around her ankle. It snatched her by the ankle, the thorns digging in mercilessly around her calf, drawing blood. The world spun sideways as she was pulled off the ground, hanging upside down several feet in the air. Dangling vulnerably over the barren yard, she watched in horror as Endymion closed in. His smile was proud and oh so cruel, his sword gleaming in the faint light of the moon, ready and willing to cleave her in half.

Screaming in fright, reacting only on the instinct to preserve her own life. She ignited her twin shakra's of light, swinging them downward in an arc, slicing the vine in half. The severed piece of vine twisted and shrivelled as it decayed, as a cold wind rushed through the courtyard blowing the remains away into dust.

Landing hard on her right shoulder, she scrambled onto all fours. Sere shot her eyes up, sucking in a surprised breathe. Finding Haruka limping into view on the outskirts of the courtyard. Dressed as she was the day she had left the Estate, her clothes more travel worn, stained with mud, dirt and blood. The shoulder's of her suit jacket was torn and the knees of her dress pants were worn thread bare. Sere realized with both wonder and grim acceptance That Haruka had been living rough upon the mountain all this time, working her way up to the Moon Temple. Fighting one battle after another all on her own...a one woman army, seeking to eradicate the Queen's Onii.

"Ruka-san..." Sere rushed towards her, her heart leaping at the sight of her. The woman offered her a wiry, half smile. A small tornado rotating in the palm of her hand.

"Long time, Princess." She stated, her eyes staring past her to confront Endymion with an icy glare.

Sere never glanced back to see how close Endymion might be, breaking into a full sprint across the courtyard. As she closed in on Haruka that familiar comforting sense of protection she had felt when Darien was around surrounded her. Haruka had been a replacement for Darien in so many ways. Embodying the power of both sexes, she was capable of being whatever Sere had needed in the years he had been absent from her life.

Endymion's scream of fury echoed from just behind, with her heart leaping in her throat. Sere spun and ducked, her twin shakra's crossed just above her head. As his sword came down in a cleaving swing, that would have surely taken off her head if she hadn't moved.

"Endymion! Please...wakeup!" She cried desperately, her heart shattering even more at how dead his eyes were.

Terrorfied that he could really be just an animated shell, soulless...dead. That there was no hope to ever bring him back.

"Sorry, pal but I can't let you kill her." Haruka declared, as a huge plow wind exploded from her outstretched palms. It screamed across the courtyard like a banshee, slamming into Prince Endymion and carrying him away.

"You will not get far!" Endymion bellowed in rage as he was slammed mercilessly into a pillar on the other side of the courtyard. He grunted and fell boneless to the ground.

Sere waisted no time, dashing to Haruka's side she took her hand and they ran into the ruins on the other side. Escaping blindly down several narrow pathways, flanked by crumbling walls of stone. Sere was leading, pulling Haruka behind her. Glancing nervously over her shoulder, as the older woman was stumbling and panting for air. It was strange to have the once cool and confident Haruka allowing her to take the lead. It filled her with anxiety and she quickly slowed, moving them into the shadows of a fallen wall. Haruka never said a word, thankful for the rest. Her movements were clumsy and stiff as she sat down with her back against the wall.

Sere was quick to kneel beside her, her blue eyes pleading and worried. Surveying her dear friend from head to toe, she hadn't gotten a good look at her before. To focused to getting away from Endymion, but now that they had a moment to relax. She was able to get a better look, the light from the moon was dim and did not offer much detail to Haruka's wounds. But the multiple bruises to her face and several cuts along her arms and legs spoke of surviving several battles. Haruka kept an arm wrapped around her stomach, perhaps bracing several broken ribs.

Luna galloped up to them, glancing anxiously down the dark corridor they had just run through.

"Now is not the time to take a break." She reprimanded harshly.

Sere paid Luna a dry look then focused back on Haruka.

"I need to take a look, Ruka." She demanded softly.

"No you don't, I look and feel like hell." Haruka stated, a weak if sarcastic smile pulling on her lips.

Luna took a tentative step forwards then, raising her front paws up to press against Haruka's shoulder. Her yellow eyes stared with compassionate inquiry into the older woman's face. Blood was quick to dampen the cloth under Luna's paws. As soon as the feline felt the moisture under her paws she reared back and sat primely beside Sere.

Sere paid the blood soaked cloth a very concerned frown.

"Now, you tell me how you want me to do this. Okay? " Sere moved gently, pulling off Haruka's grey jacket. The white tank top underneath was filthy, blood had soaked through the left side and was dripping from the hem. She finally got a good

look at all the wounds Haruka had been concealing beneath the heavy jacket. Bruises and deep lacerations crossed her chest and one ran down her left shoulder all the way down to her elbow.

"Ruka..." Sere sucked in a pained breath.

Ruka sighed and thumped the back of her head against the wall. "Just get it over with, already." She sighed, glancing nervously at the black cat.

Sere reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. Haruka offered her a tremulous smile. "It's okay, Koneko. This is how I wanted it to be."

Sere's throat went dry and she felt as if she was choking on something foul.

"You came here to die..." She whispered brokenly, examining her left side. Her arm was injured, Haruka winced as Sere lifted the arm up slightly. Her wrist was swollen and the whole arm was discoloured with several bruises, cuts criss crossing over every inch including that one, long, ugly gash. The right arm was in little better shape, but Haruka didn't grimace when Sere lifted it.

Sere gently laid her arm back down and then lifted up her tank top just enough to bare a portion of her rib cage. She examined the area, on her right side stopping to ask her if it hurt. Most of her injuries were contained to the left side. She had multiple ugly bruises from under her arm pit and down her side, along with a very deep, mortal gash just under her rib cage. Blood seeped and bubbled from the wounds down her side. Sere bit her lower lip and then without thought, tore her skirts apart. Haruka said not one word as she wrapped her homemade bandages across her abdomen. It was a hopeless endeavour, Haruka knew it but she hadn't the heart to explain that to Serenity.

"How did most of these happen?" Sere asked, her voice breaking. "Or were some of these injures from our fight back at the arena?" She couldn't mask her sorrow, so worn down both emotionally and physically she didn't even try.

Haruka merely sighed, cradling Sere's cheek tenderly for a moment with her left hand. "A bit of both, Sweet Serenity." She admitted.

Sere glanced over at Luna, finding the cat pacing anxiously. Haruka had been fighting other soldier's perhaps even some of the Queen Generals. They were being hunted and not just by Endymion. They had little time to just sit and rest. They needed to be off, find a real place to hide and figure out their next move. They were out in the open here and easy targets.

Haruka sighed heavily and turned her head up so she could take in the blanket of stars above. "I ascended back at the arena and reclaimed all my memories. I remember being a Guardian...being sent far away from the light of the Silver Millennium...from my princess. I was alone for so long...then my talisman began to sing...it was a dirge...the funeral march for the end of the Silver Millennium. " Haruka's voice was low, bitter. "Everything was wiped clean when Saturn awoke and then I began the cycle of rebirth here on earth. After ten thousand years of loneliness, I finally found true love...

and I squandered it. I don't want to be here anymore..." She sobbed, tears falling silently from her eyes as she gazed up at the heavens. "I want it all to end...Princess." The timeless despair and anguish in her voice spoke of how truly broken she felt.

The endless round of karmic rebirth had slowly broken them all...at least all who could remember.

Haruka was utterly broken, both in spirit and body. While Sere was broken only in spirit, she was also still determined and hanging on to hope that this time...this final time she could mend things, make it all right again for everyone. She sensed that Haruka had accepted her fate, that she had come here for one purpose, to end it. Wanting to take out as many of the Queen's soldier's as she could before her own life was snuffed out.

Sere to had accepted her fate, that she might not live past this night. But while Haruka seemed to have given up and wished to die right here under the stars. Serenity couldn't, she had to push herself forward past all endurance and never give up.

"Ruka-chan...you rest here. I can make things right again, I promise." Serenity gave the dieing woman a small, happy smile. Her warm blue eyes moist with unshed tears. Leaning forward she place one final, sweet kiss to her dear friends lips. Haruka had gone so very pale, her breath was shallow and growing weaker. She was bleeding out from far to many wounds. It would not be long now...soon she would have her wish and find her final peace.

"I'll catch you the next time around, Koneko. Sayonara." Ruka whispered against Sere's mouth as the blonde began to pull away.

Sere merely nodded solemnly, unable to respond. So choked up with grief, she stood quickly and dashed away. Luna gave Haruka a somber nod, "We will meet again Guardian of Uranus."

Haruka never acknowledged her, staring blindly up at the stars, her final breath rattling in her chest.

Luna huffed and then ran after her charge into the night.

Sere never stopped running, pushing herself to her limits. She barely saw the ruins that surrounded her, her eyes so full of tears, the sorrow crushing her so fully, all she could do was run...just run. Wishing to put all the pain and despair behind her. Racing up a slope of crumbled steps into the pre dawn light atop a large circular platform, in circled with pillars. The wooden roof above had long since rotted away into nothing. As she reached the center of the platform she finally succumbed to her exhaustion. Crumpling to the stones, panting, wailing and screaming in anguish to the silent sky above. She felt as if she was dying on the inside, so lost and alone here on the mountain. She didn't know what to do, how to make things right.

"Mina...Raye...Ami...Lita..." She bawled into her arms, "I don't know how to fix this..."

A heavy fog rolled in, billowing up from the ruins below to blanket the open rotunda that Sere had sought refuge within. So caught up in her sorrow she never felt the change in her environment until a cold, brisk wind blew over her. Snapping her torn, frayed skirts violently, sending chill bumps over her bare arms, tossing her long blonde hair around her shoulders violently. Forcing her to raise her head and face the muted storm now forming behind the pillars.

She caught her breath her tears drying instantly. So immersed in her grief she hadn't noticed the eternal fog of time encroaching around her until it was to late. It hung on the outside of the round platform, obscuring the ruins below. The strange fog was rolling and billowing in upon itself, a cool mist hovered over the stones, curling around the base of the pillars like a lovers caress. The atmosphere around her became muted, what color that might have been seen by the dim light of the setting moon was now washed away. Leaving the platform and the pillars beyond in a murky Gray half light.

The mist soon filled the open platform, forming a barrier that blocked out all reality. Serenity sat frozen, staring into the mist as if entranced by it as it closed in around her. The world beyond the pillars was like a fogged glass, images distorted and wavy upon it's surface. She could still see the ruins through the pillars, as if they were reflections of stone at the bottom a deep well. Other things were moving just beyond the mist, faded, intangible shapes. Then a low humming sound echoed from all around her, it was deep but not loud.

The dull grey light began to fade away into darkness, as if the moon the only source of light she could lay claim to was being absorbed by the fog. She couldn't see anything anymore, she could only feel the pressure of the darkness against her body.

The discordant humming felt like it was vibrating inside her chest. The darkness became oddly transparent as a soft silver glow illuminated her body. Casting a faint light onto the world around her. Warming the darkness back into a muted void of heavy mists.

Serenity took one breath after another, focusing on her breathing. Rather then the absolute terror that was threatening to overwhelm her.

Sucking in a frightened gasp of air she began to see shapes moving within the gloom. Spectres floating just out of reach. Then the whispering sound of feet to the left, she snapped her head around as an odd sensation of longing enveloped her. The humming became clearer and she realized that it was voices.

Thousands of voices...calling her name. Distant and faint they beckoned for her to join them, the dark shapes within the mists began to converge all around her. Crowding near, beckoning her, reaching for her...

One form moved closer, its presence pushing the others back. Taking prominence over the others. An unexpected stab of loneliness struck her hard. She shuttered and curled her arms around her stomach, unable to endure the pain. The feelings of utter solitude, of a life lived on the fringe of society. Never fitting in, never understanding why people loathed her upon first sight. Never being loved, or understanding how to truly love others.

Only hate...rage...resentments...jealousy...death...were her only companions.

Then she saw her...a lone woman in the white gown of the dead. With long flowing. Reddish, brunette hair. Wearing the asian features of her current incarnation.

"Beryl..." Serenity breathed, her heart was pounding.

Beryl merely smiled with sorrow, her green eyes mournful and wet with unshed tears. She moved free of the mists to stand before her, reaching down to offer her a hand up.

"It is time, to reclaim your true self." She stated, "I shall guide you through the Dark Kingdom, the realm of the Dead."

Serenity's was spellbound, her eyes wide with fear, her face grew ashen as the prospect of crossing the boundaries between life and death. Her frightened eyes stared up at Beryl's, seeking answers, confidences...forgiveness.

"Come, your highness the end is neigh and I have to much to show you." She crouched down, taking up both of Serenity's hands in hers and forcing her to stand. With out any further words of comfort, Beryl pulled Serenity into the mists of the underworld.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: The middle of the first ending**

Beryl led her through the dark mists with out a single word, her grip upon her wrist was like a steel band. She moved with purpose, pulling Sere deeper into murky depths of the underworld. Sere didn't struggle, instead she followed Beryl's spirit dutifully. Glancing around the darkness that surrounded them nervously. The ghosts that had once lurked beyond the mists had faded away. She wondered sadly if those spirits were from the Silver Millennium as well? They had seemed to be attracted to her, wanting to greet her or perhaps exact a supernatural vengeance for what she had done in the past? Either way Beryls pressence was enough to send them scattering back behind the veil of death.

Their path through the mists felt lonely and eerily silent. A cold, damp seeped into her very bones. As Beryl led her deeper into the underworld. An eerie green light flickered at the periphery of her vision. It wasn't strong enough to illuminate anything, it just hung like an ethereal shroud all around them.

Beryl stopped before a tiny ledge, it was spongy and slick. More of a licheneous growth that might grow from a tree root then any sort of stone.

"Come." Beryl commanded, floating off the ledge and descending into the darkness below. Her flowing white gown snapping like a phantom sail, disappearing into the gloom below.

Sere heaved a deep breath then lowered herself over the ledge, peering into the abyss. Beryl was fading quickly, along with the weak glow of her soul. Leaving Sere in complete darkness. She briefly contemplated summoning her wings, so that she didn't have to climb down into the void below. But she could barely see a few feet in front of herself. Diving would be to fast and she could easily crash into the walls of this tomb if Beryl's route narrowed suddenly. It would be safer just to climb down.

"Wait." Sere called, her voice shaking slightly. "Your going to fast."

"One might think you are moving to slowly." Beryl's sarcastic response from the darkness, echoed up to her.

"Please..." Sere called again, her voice meek and full of fear. Choking back the panic that was filling her throat. She could feel the hatred this place carried for her. It hummed like a low, threatening growl just below the surface of her mind.

There was silence, then Beryl's spirit reappeared from the void. Assending before her like a deathly harbinger, her white robes snapping sharply in response to her irritation.

"You are not some timid mouse, princess." She chastised, folding her arms across her breasts.

"I don't know if I can do this?" Sere whispered, hating herself for admitting such weakness in front of Beryl.

"You can, You have done this before...long ago. You did not allow your fear of this place to consume you. When you snuck into the realm of the dead to kill me." Beryl offered her a crooked, wiry smile.

She beckoned her forward and descended more slowly, watching her attentively. As Sere groaned and tentatively crept over the rim of the ledge. She peered downward warily, freezing in place instantly.

There was nothing below her, just an infinite pit of nothingness.

"Stop looking down, close your eyes, calm down and focus on what your doing." Beryl called up in frustration.

Awkwardly, Sere obeyed. Turning around, she spread her arms wide and felt for hand holds. Pressing her chest against the bumpy, slick surface of the wall. It felt more like wet skin then earth, the sensation of hanging in space made her sweaty and dizzy. This place was so unsettling, her heart was hammering in her chest and the damp, earthy sent of rot infiltrated her nose.

After a moment she found a small indentation just below her right hand. She gripped it firmly and eased herself downward. She shuddered in response to the disturbing sensations, all the while malice and despair loomed all around her. It hummed from the thick, mottled hide like growths she used as hand holds. It taunted her in low whisper's, promising pain and sorrow if she remained here.

The surface under her hands was scared and pitted with moss and lichen as she cautiously made her way down. The

smooth surface soon becoming rough and jagged, the dark colour fading to a ghostly pale white. As a humid chill howled up from the bottomless pit below. She braced herself against the side of the cliffside, inhaling sharply. The smell of this dank tomb was overpowering. Making her very queasy, she swallowed hard against the urge to throw up. When the demonic sounds faded, she slowly, cautiously moved from one hand hold to another The light Beryl's spirit gave off was so feeble it was nearly useless. So she navigated by touch alone, each step downward a blind leap of faith.

Her shoulder's were on fire, her fingers ached and her palms stung. Her knees were throbbing from the strain of balancing on such narrow ledges.

How long she climbed downward was impossible to judge. Hours maybe, but it felt more like days.

When her feet finally found purchase upon solid ground, she crumpled like a broken doll onto her stomach. Panting and shivering from the penetrating cold of the underworld.

When she had calmed her breath and found enough strength to move. She crawled up into a kneeling position. Finding Beryl floating a few feet away, at the mouth of a mammoth cavern.

Sere moaned and hung her head in exhaustion. "This is never ending..."

"You want to know the truth, don't you?" Beryl asked, matter factly.

Sere wilted under her cool tone. "I have wronged you Beryl, I know this. I may not remember it, clearly. But my heart aches for the pain I have caused you."

Beryl laughed merrily at her apology. "Princess, our tale is a long and sordid one. I have finally put it behind me. I suggest you make your peace with it as well. So that this time...this last time. Both our souls can transcend our karma and obtain our true destiny."

Sere nodded, then regained her feet. Staggering after her, as she led the way down the tunnel. It had started out wide but soon narrowed. The walls were closing in around them the deeper they went. To the point in which she had to squeeze herself through nothing but a crack.

When another rage filled howl, called out from the darkness. The raw hatred and misery in the sound vibrated through her. Immediately sending her into a state of pure animalistic fear. Sere bit her lower lip to stop herself from screaming. Her heart beat more loudly in her ears as if attempting to drown out the terrifying sounds.

Each breath she took was heavy with dirt and mold, bringing a heaviness to her lungs. Her soul was under constant torment from the negative energies surrounding her. The sad melancholy song of the damned, hummed like a death march as she trudged deeper into the world of the dead.

The awareness of the depth she had gone to, struck her cold. She was quickly terrified at the prospect of being buried alive. Suddenly it was as if the walls of the tunnel were pressing to tightly against her chest, pushing the air from her lungs. Gasping for air, she felt stuck and panic was soon overwhelming her. She became dizzy, a hot sweat beaded upon her skin and her heart became a wild drum inside her head. Roaring in her ears until it was all she could focus upon.

 _ **The seal to the memories of her first life shattered like fragile crystal. The sounds of her desperate screams became as soft as a whisper as she transcended into the memories of Princess Serenity.**_

 _She had finally found the courage to descend to earth. The first few hours of her joyous walk amid the trees of this lush planet had b een perfect. She had indulged in touching every trunk, smelling every wild flower she found. Gazing in wonder up at the gloriously b lue sky and taking deep b reaths of clean, crisp terrain air._

 _This adventure was b eyond her imagination. She b asked in every sensation, the soft crunch of b ranches under her feet. The peaceful warmth of the afternoon sun upon her skin. Watching the shadows cast b y the forest canopy dance upon the ground. Appreciating the glorious sounds of b irds and rustle of small animals just out of sight._

 _She followed a muddy trail, the rain water dripping from the leaves like tears. Refusing to think ab out her mothers disapproval at what she had done. She had finally escaped the moon and found her freedom. She planned never to return, she would make her life here and finally find happiness. Indulging in fantasies of how wonderful living here would b e. Unhindered b y responsib ilities and duties as the heir to the Imperium Throne._

 _Two more days of hard travel through the thick vegetation, had quickly diminished her eagerness for adventure. The mighty thunder storm that had rolled in from the north last night had b een the last straw. She had spent the night terrified and soaked to her very core. Huddled amid the b oulder's of a rocky hillside, deep in this endless forest. She was tired,_

 _hungry and cold. Her flight to earth hadn't b een well thought through, an act of youthful reb ellion. She had had enough of b eing commanded ab out b y her mother, of b eing a constant disappointment to her. She had no interest in b eing the heir to the Silver Millennium or learning how to command the Imperium crystal. She wanted to live her life on her own terms, she felt like a caged b ird for far to long. Her Guardian's always fretting and fluttering ab out, never giving her any space to actually live. She wanted adventure...excitement...she wanted to b e free!_

 _Now here she was, lost and alone on a planet she knew nothing ab out. Her dreams ab out earth had quickly b ecome a nightmare._

 _The forest was thick around her, the dusky leaves overhead b locking a great deal of the morning sun. The air was damp and cool, making the tattered, mud stained hem of her dress cling to her ankles. Serenity found herself constantly pulling at her skirts as she navigated carefully through an over grown glade of long grass. The smell of rot caught her attention, it was pungent and heavy within the glade. She gagged and clasped her hand over her mouth. It smelled ab solutely horrid, like the decomposition of something wholly vile b oth in life and in death. Needing to b e away from the terrib ly stench, Serenity had no intention of investigating what it might b e. She quickly ab andoned the glade and headed deeper into the forest._

 _Hours later, the mid day sun was warming the narrow goat trail she found herself on. Serenity groaned and rub b ed her b elly lightly. Her stomach growled patheticly in response. She hadn't eaten in so long, she felt light headed and b eyond exhausted. All she wanted to do was lay down and sleep. She hadn't seen a single mortal since she arrived. Trapped in a endless forest of pine, fir, maple and oak trees. Their leaves proudly showing off a fall mantle of gold and copper. The nights had b een cold, freezing her to her very b ones. The heat of the mid-day sun couldn't even warm her. She hugged herself tight, rub b ing her hand up and down her arms in a vain attempt to quell the chill. She sniffled and b rushed away a few tears, stub b ornly refusing to b reak down completely. She didn't want to feel homesick, b ut her time on earth had_

 _b een so horrib le. She found herself wallowing in despair, regretting her impulsiveness and wishing her Guardian' would hurry up and find her. She didn't want to b e on earth anymore..._

 _Having spent most of his life wandering these woods, Endymion had never heard such a wild and terrified cry as he had last night. He had b een staying at Beryl's cab in for the last week. Hiding from his mother and her daily pressure to find a suitab le wife. He was ruling Elysion just fine with out the hindrances of a b etrothal. He was b arely into his twenties and had no interest in commitments to anyone b ut his Beryl. Their was no way his mother would approve of him marrying a peasant, least of all a foreigner from b eyond the five kingdoms. So he had b een avoiding the whole mess, disappearing from the Golden Palace for weeks on end. Going into hiding, in his only sanctuary, the Green wood b eyond the Castle. To b e with the only woman he had ever wanted to spend time with._

 _Beryl._

 _They lived together in her cab in, in sweet domestic b liss._

 _Here he felt, at peace, free and completely happy._

 _The wails and cries of terror he had heard last night had drew him away from Beryl's emb race and into the storm. He didn't know why? But he felt compelled to find the source of that voice. So he had b een tracking a set of small tracks since way b efore dawn. Now it was drawing near mid-day and he felt no closer to finding the owner of those dainty feet._

 _He knew all plants and trees, his first ten years had b een spent running and exploring this forest. He tenderly pressed his hand to the b ark of an ancient oak tree, it's crown still a deep green. Stoically it would b e the last of the trees in these woods to give into the season. The nights were getting cold and soon the snow would come._

 _From a young age, Endymion would retreat into these woods. To spend time away from his father, who had always b een his greatest critic. He had never b een ab le to make the man proud no matter how successful or accomplished he_

 _b ecame. Now the man was dead, poisoned. His murderer had yet to b e found. Endymion suspected that a traitor within the large staff of the Golden Palace had slowly poisoned the king._

 _Before his return, the King was ailing, his Mother had taken over the throne. Ruling the kingdom with an iron fist and seeking to complete her husb ands amb itions for the last six months._

 _She was finding relinquishing control to Endymion difficult now that he was crowned King. Attempting to rule from the shadows, b y turning her son's ear with hearsay and rumour. Forming Alliances and b etrothal's b ehind his b ack, trying to command him in the same manner she did when he had b een a child. Endymion could endure no more and had cowardly sought seclusion in the forest instead of confronting the meddling Queen._

 _Grief and resentments overwhelmed him. He had long since given up on having that perfect family life, he had seen with the peasant children in the village. They had a simple life, ab le to play all day and go home to two loving parents. While_

 _he had to spend his days studying, learning history, tactics and all the different religions within the five kingdoms. He b arely had time to play as a b oy, having to run away into the forest to get away from his many tutors._

 _He had grown into manhood during his journey. He had no more use for tutors, or wise advisors attempting to sway his decisions. He was finally in control of his life and would not allow, even his mother to take that independence away._

 _Ever since leaving the cab in he had heard whispers in his mind. They had led him to the upper ridge, near the forest b oundary to the Northern Kingdom. The whispers had b een taunting him all night, with feelings of trepidation and anxiousness. Making him move faster, less cautiously as the trail ascended into the more rocky terrain of the foothills b efore Mount Song. Elysian laid claim to only a small portion of the Great Mountain range that ran through the Northern Kingdom. A cluster of five modest peaks, that sheltered the Temple of the Moon on Mount Song._

 _The whispers had grown silent at day b reak, as if losing their power upon the rising sun. Brooding as he moved deeper into the forest at the foot of Mount Song. He mulled over the strange twist of fate, that had urged him out his warm b ed with Beryl._

 _Endymion looked up at a pine, scanning it's dark needles and then it's partner a few feet away. Tracing the line of trees upward along the ridge. Bandits hid in this these woods, along with a more sinister killing shadow. Travellers had b een speaking in low tones at the Dragon's Bone inn for months ab out a shadow that lurked near Mount Song. For a mellennia it was the mountain that had protected the holy temple of the Moon and the woods surrounding it had b een sacred. He had b elieved as so many did that darkness could not taint the mountain. But it seemed the ancient gods powers were waining and the Moon Goddess, Selene was no exception._

 _This shadow had killed several merchants and a few hunters already. The rumour's of the b east had only grown more elab orate since the murders. Now the peasants spoke in hushed fear, stories of how it tore out a traveller's heart and drained the b ody of all b lood. The stories were frightening, it was as if the underworld had expunged a demon upon the mortal world. Even though Endymion was a rational man, he couldn't help b ut fret that it might b e true. The terrib le vision of his kingdom's fiery demise had never b een far from his thoughts._

 _The sounds of the forest fell dead. No b irds called or animals moved out of sight, even the wind had stilled. Endymion looked up as a dark shadow swept over the ground. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye. But when he snapped his head up and to the left, all he caught sight of was a sinewy b ody leaping across tree limb s hiding amid the heavy canopy of leaves and moving quickly out of sight. He couldn't tell if it had b een an animal or a person and it left him very unsettled. He released a slow b reath and felt for the hilt of his hunting dagger, sheathed in his modest weapons b elt across his hip. He wasn't wearing his armour, b ut the dark green leather tunic and tan b reeches of a forest dweller. His cloak was a dull grey wool and the only weapons he had was a dagger and a cedar b ow. He had not taken any weapons or emb lems of who he truly was. Leaving all that was King Endymion b ack in his chamb ers at the castle. He wanted to b lend into the common masses of his kingdom, to disappear for a time and perhaps glean some much needed perspective._

 _Several yards away in the direction the creature had gone, b irds b urst from cover in the patch of fir trees. Their alarm calls shattering the tranquillity of the forest as they took flight in several directions at once. Endymion peered through the gaps in the canopy, watching the b irds retreat into the sky. He couldn't imagine what it could have b een? But the stories and rumours he had heard flooded through his mind, making him cold to the b one._

 _He shook his head b leakly, he knew he was walking into troub le. With a sigh he comb ed his finger's through his dark hair angrily. He couldn't just turn around and go home, now. He had left Beryl in the middle of the night, if he returned with out a good reason for taking off. Her ire towards him would only increase._

 _Already he knew he would b e in for at least a day of her glowering and irritated, off handed comments._

 _With a growl he pushed his thoughts of Beryls hurt feelings aside and started running in the general direction the shadow had gone. Discounting his own fears, as irrational superstitions. He tried to think it out more clearly, it must have b een an animal of some kind? But what kind of animal leaped through the trees in Elysian? He had seen monkey's b efore, b ut they lived further south?_

 _If it was a type of ape, why was it so far north and was there more of them hiding out around Mt Song?_

 _But he could not fool himself that if was a monkey, it had b een to b ig, to b ig and dark..._

 _He glanced up, scanning the trees as he dashed down the winding trail that skirted the hillside. Trying to catch another glimpse of the strange creature. Endymion knew that a few miles ahead the trail dropped off into a gulley, he would b e ab le to get an unob structed view of the forest from there._

 _Tree b ranches, heavy with rain slapped his face and b ody as he ran. Jumping fallen trees and leaping atop flat stones as he crossed trickling creeks. Brush and b ramb les snatched at his pant legs, as dappled swatches of sunlight teased him overhead. He would look up, the overgrown canopy denying him the view he needed. His b reath was coming fast, ragged and sweat ran hot and clammy down his face. Trickling down his neck and catching in the folds of his thick forest cloak around his shoulder's. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he ran carelessly through the trees. At last he stumb led out of the tree line onto a rocky cliffside, almost falling._

 _Searching the gulley just b elow, he tracked the rustling canopy of multi colored leaves. Spotting the thing far away, it was to small for him to tell what it was. But he thought it looked almost human? What kind of mortal swung through trees? He squinted against the b rightness of mid-day, attempting in vain to see the shadow more clearly._

 _He was winded, b arely ab le to take in a proper b reath. Endymion slumped against a granite b oulder near the edge. Closing his eyes for a moment to clear away the glare from the sun, taking deep, slow intakes of air. With a groan he opened his eyes, staring down at the shimmering water of the Rose River. That ran the length of his kingdom, widening and b ranching to the south as it made it's way towards the sea. He wondered if he should tell Deth? The old man had b ecome the head his father's small council while he had b een gone. He had b een his father advisor in the years of his ab sence. Endymion did not know the full story as to how the man had taken over the council. He was an outsider, royalty, b orn b eyond the b orders of the Five heavenly kingdoms. Exiled perhaps? Due to some ill fated circumstance or transgression. He was highly intelligent and very well educated. He had b efriended the king and had turned his father's ear with conspiracy and b etrayal, ab out the outer four kingdoms. Causing the old king to draw his forces closer to home and b ecome less trusting and more vigilant. Endymion was loathed to b elieve the Wiseman's words, that put the father's of his closest friends in such a vile light. It had b een hard to b elieve that the outer kingdoms were conspiring to destroy Elysian. But after his father's murder he was more inclined to trust in what Deth had to say._

 _No, Deth did not need to know just yet. Not without proof. It would only fuel his ob session with protecting the throne. He found the old man, wise b ut a zealot and he didn't need, or want t ab ysat b y the royal guard. He was currently investigating his father's murder, sub tly while in the Golden Palace. He trusted no one at this point, not even his own mother. She wasn't the same, the years had changed her. Her heart had hardened and she kept her true feelings hidden b ehind a false smile. He knew she cared ab out him, otherwise she wouldn't b e nagging him. But he was grown and could laugh off her constant instructions. Though he still had to endure her looks of displeasure when he spoke his mind and did as he pleased, against her wishes._

 _The Guard would also hinder his ab ility to escape the castle and visit Beryl. With all the pressure he was under as Elysian's new king. He needed to escape from time to time and live a more simple life. Beryl had b ecome everything that was good and true in his life and he couldn't lose that._

 _Endymion reached down and picked up a twig, snapping it in frustration. Then threw the pieces at a flat rock nearb y. He rememb ered his mother, b efore his pilgrimage as a sweet, tender hearted woman._

 _She was honest with her feelings, yet quiet with her opinions. Now she had b ecome a shrill, conniving shrew. Seeking to undermine his authority with the small Council, with private meetings b ehind closed doors. It seemed he could not rule without her shadow looming over his throne._

 _He scrub b ed a hand down his face with a groan, wondering how it was possib le to b oth love and hate someone. Endymion refused to wallow in his harsh judgements of his mother. She had lost her husb and suddenly and had b een thrust, completely unprepared, onto the throne. She had ruled Elysian as well as she could until he returned. He could understand how that could change someone._

 _He sat and contemplated his current issues b ack at the Castle. Scanning the upper ridge just b eyond the Rose River, that was the foot hills of Mount Song. From this height on the cliff, he could see the trail resume on the other side of the Rose River. It knitted in and out of the trees from the waters edge, winding upward. Sometimes in full view, other times hidden deep in a patch of heavy forest. It wasn't a well used trail, most travellers chose the wider paths that cut through the forest in the lower valley's. They would rather go around Mount Song then over it._

 _Endymion had b een on that rarely used trail plenty of times, in the spring it would b e wet and soggy near the river. But this late in the year it would b e dry, the dark soil cracked and parched for moisture._

 _It would narrow into a nearly invisib le animal path as it move higher into upper b oundaries of Mount Song. It wasn't easy to navigate and unless one knew the area well, you could find yourself lost amid the thick trees very easily._

 _He caught movement on an upper ridge. His eyes locked upon a small spec of white, unsure what it was. He stared hard at the spot on the far side of the river. When he saw the b lur of white move again, high on the path, just b ehind a veil of pine and fir there was no doub t. It was a person._

 _He hopped down off the rock, wondering if that person was who he had heard scream last night._

 _The figure moved into view again descending slowly down the path towards the river. It was slight, small like a child. Endymion followed the figures progress, taking a few steps forward towards the edge of the cliff. The figure b roke from the treeline and came to stand, nervously b efore the river. It was a woman...a young woman in a elegant white dress. What kind of woman would b e wandering around this deep in the forest...in flimsy dress? Endymion watched her making her way down the river, disappearing and reappearing as the path wound in and out of the trees. She didn't seem to hurry, b ut she wasn't confident in her steps either. Stumb ling and spinning in place, unsure of her surroundings and clearly lost._

 _Other movement caught his attention, just to the rear of the lost maiden. Endymion snapped his eyes b ack along the path. Searching the shade and shadows, b ehind her. There were others...three..no...four...men? But they moved at a strange, looping gate as if their legs and arms were far to long for their b odies? Those strange figures were following her, b ut hanging b ack as if uncertain as to how to approach her? They moved with stealth, from tree to rock. Slinking like silent shadows. Watching... waiting...hunting..._

 _They were stalking her! Endymion straightened, his eyes flying wide in alarm. There was ab solutely no doub t now. The troub le he had b een walking into. He had just found it._


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Lost**

 _At first Endymion stood frozen, watching, calculating his strategy. All he had was a hunters knife and a couple of arrows. He had ran out of the cab in in a crazed state last night and had just grab b ed what was near b y. He hadn't prepared very well and life was going to punish him for it. His chances of sub duing four men was slim, with the weapons he had. He wished he would have thought to grab his sword. As it is, he may b e ab le to kill a couple of them b efore they got the upper hand. But what was that unarmed woman's chances?_

 _He watched the woman move along the path, he watched the strange shadow men follow. Crouching low, hiding within the long grass that grew at the edge of his vantage point atop the cliff. Deftly he knocked an arrow in his b ow. Muscles tight and hard as he focused his eyes upon his first target. His heart was racing, if his tactics didn't work then he would b e dead along with the woman he was trying to save._

 _The mid-day sun was hot on his face, his b reathing had b ecome shallow as he concentrated. Endymion knew there was a smaller trail cutting off from the one she was currently on. It was just a few yards ahead of her position. He ran threw the terrain in his mind, long memorized in his youth. If she stayed on the main trail he could wait for her here. The trail would lead her over a tiny stone b ridge where the river narrowed and then upward towards this hillside. But first he had to thin the ranks of how many adversaries he would have to deal with._

 _As long as she stayed on that trail..._

 _Then what? Her journey up here would b e to long? Those men would b e on top of her b efore then._

 _He let fly his first arrow, it struck the last man dead b etween the eyes. The one in front turned in alarm, just as Endymion sent another arrow towards him. It went wide and cut into the b ushes._

" _Damn!" Endymion hissed._

 _The first two were to far away to take heed of his attack, b ut the third darted into cover amid the trees._

 _Endymion took flight in that moment, as his new strategy was taking shape. He sprang up from the tall grass and started running down the trail. Intent on reaching her b efore the two men caught her. He would then take her up the fork off the trail. That b ranch of trail would take them out of the forest and out onto the plains to the main road that led towards the village._

 _If he was quick enough, he could hide their tracks. The last three men would not b e ab le to figure out they had left the main trail. They would continue on at least for some time b efore figuring it all out._

 _He hoped to have her safely away at that point._

 _Still winded from his earlier run, Endymion lab oured to take in enough air. Panting and urging his b ody to move faster. The path had quickly twisted b ack into the trees, concealing him from sight. Shafts of sunlight flashed over the ground as he raced head long into troub le. Old pine and spruce lined his path, leaving a dried carpet of needles that crunched under his b oots._

 _He rushed across the stone b ridge, driving himself onward into the trees just b eyond the mossy b ank._

 _Looking for the side trail as the trees emb raced him again. He couldn't b e sure how far he had gone, the continuous forest offered no concrete landmark to find the fork. He didn't rememb er exactly where the cut off was. It was small and would b e very easy to miss. Rounding another b end he hoped to find the fork in the trail. When nothing stood out, he pushed on. Struggling to figure out what he was going to say to the woman when he caught up to her. His thoughts raced as fast as his legs. She might not trust him, she might not b elieve him...or b e frightened b y him. It was more likely she would flee from him._

 _He wouldn't have much time to convince her of his good intentions. That she needed to go with him, that he wanted to help._

 _Ascending a rise, he looked franticly for that fork in the path, not finding it and then kept running. Now his b reath was coming in ragged gasps. He knew that if he didn't reach that split b efore she did, they would b e trapped. Then they only_

 _had two options, fight or flee up the main trail and try and outrun the men. He was far to winded for that._

 _So he drove himself harder, sweat ran down his neck, trickling down his b ack making his tunic stick to his skin. The coolness of the gentle b reeze rushing through the forest did nothing to cool him. The air was hot, and far to humid from the rain. His exertion only increased his discomfort. The forest passed in a b lur on the periphery of his vision as he ran._

 _The trail cut sharply to the right and at last he came upon the cut off, almost missing it in his desperate flight. He made a quick search for tracks, hoping she hadn't taken that small path without him. There were none._

 _Relief washed over him as he b ent doub le over his knees heaving for b reath. Heat b lossomed then faded from his b ody, as his skin cooled. Then he squatted over his heels in exhaustion trying to catch his b reath. He had b eaten her here, now he had to make her b elieve him b efore it was to late._

 _With a groan he stood b ack up, holding his left hand over a painful stitch in his side. Still trying to regain his b reath and his composure. He worried he might look silly. She was rather small, she migh girl?_

 _Perhaps it was just a sister and her b rother's playing a game? If that was the case, he would look the fool and everyone would have a good laugh b ut him._

 _But those men didn't move right? The had a long, ungainly stride as if their limb s were to long for their b odies. Their skin had b een dark, far darker then an average human. Black even, as if they had b een b athed in tar. He looked up at the sky, he hadn't b een seeing things. He had seen a shadow swinging threw the trees. Human b ut not human? He thought ab out how she was walking. Slowly, cautiously, uncertain as to where she was or where to go. Girl or woman she did not want to b e in the forest. He swallowed hard, the cold fear at seeing those men shadowing her made his mouth dry._

 _He knew what he had seen. They were not playing a game, they were hunting her._

 _He was pacing trying to work out the kinks in his strained muscles. When his eyes fell upon the young woman as she came around the b end in front of him. His b reath caught, leaving him staring awestruck at her remarkab le b eauty. Her b londe hair was so pale it seemed silver, it was lush, full and extremely long. Spun up into two b uns, the twin tails streaming down her b ack like elegant rib b ons. Complementing the contours of her slim, hourglass b ody as they swayed to her graceful movements. She was quite short, b arely coming up to his chest. Her face was sweet, angelic, yet mature. She wasn't a child...yet not a full adult either? Her b lue eyes were wide and innocent. So clear, so pure, they held him with an unearthly fascination._

 _The dress she wore was like nothing he had ever seen. Made of a white sheer fab ric, the could b e silk, satin or some material he knew nothing of. Its weave was fine and smooth, almost glistening. It was elegant in it's simplicity. With a plunging neckline that was folded and b unched like flower petals around her dainty b reasts and upon her small shoulders. Beaded with golden half moons upon her waistline._

 _The flowing skirts trailed down her legs all the way to her slippered feet. The fab ric was more sheer then the b odice, teasing him. He wondered if he stared hard enough, if he could catch a glimpse of her smooth, unb lemished skin. She halted and the long graceful folds regally trailed her, gathering ab out her legs in waves of white._

 _Endymion approached and stopped a few strides away, taking in how stained the hem was upon her dress. The dirt and grim caked upon her ankles, her arms and smeared like soot over her face. How haggered and strained she looked. Yet she stood straight and still, her arms at her sides. The pearls upon her left wrist twinkled in the mid-day sun as if made from starlight. It caught his eye for b ut a second, b efore he b rought his focus b ack upon her face._

 _Her eyeb rows were thin and had a graceful arch. She hid her fear b ehind a cool gaze, taking his measure sub tly. The connection was so intense that it threatened to drown him, losing all sense of who he was. As she b ecame the whole of his existence. He felt that perhaps he had always known her, that she had b een a part of him in some unseen way. She held him with her gaze as surely as one would grip the hilt of a sword. Searching his eyes for assurance, searching his soul, seeking an answer that only he could give._

 _(I am here to help you.) He urged in his mind, his sincerity was so powerful she seemed to relax._

 _Her stare warming and loosening its hold upon him._

 _In her eyes he saw an attraction that mirrored his own. Along with intelligence, sub tle and tranquil in it's own way. There was a sense of integrity and fortitude b urning deep within her. It filled him with confidence, that she would see the goodness in him as well._

 _A warning flashed through his mind as he regained his senses. Making him rememb er why he was here and that they_

 _had no time to dally upon this open trail._

" _I was up there." He pointed vaguely towards the cliffside, high upon the far off hill. "I saw you."_

 _She looked to where he pointed, her expression was confused b ut hopeful. He looked too, finding that the forest was so thick here. He was pointing to a tangle of tree limb s. Neither of them could see that far off hill. He groaned and dropped his arm in humiliation. Her eyes returned to his, waiting._

 _Endymion cleared his throat and started again. Keeping his voice low, in a hushed whisper. "I saw you walking upon the path b y the river. There are some men following you."_

 _Her eyes flew wide in terror and she spun around as if she might catch sight of the men. All colour drained from her face, as she surveyed the woods. Scanning the shadows b riefly, then looked b ack to him once more. Her eyes were moist and pleading for him to protect her. Her emotions were so pure, so raw that they overwhelmed him. Before his mind could form a proper thought, he heard himself say._

" _I will protect you."_

 _Her eyes dried and the wondrous smile she b lessed him with, warmed him right down to his very soul._

" _What would you have us do?" She asked quietly, her voice was soft, sweet and as melodic as a love song._

" _There's a small trail that turns off from this one. If we take it and they stay on this one, we could get away unnoticed." he_ _stated, his voice strong with conviction._

" _And if they don't..." She b it her lower lip nervously._

" _I'll hide our tracks." He nodded, trying to reassure her. "They will not follow." He sighed and scrub b ed a hand through his_ _thick b lack hair. "Look, we have no time..."_

" _But if they do?" She cut him off, her voice high pitched and frightened. "Then what is your plan?"_

 _He studied her face for a moment, taking in the uncertainty and fear. He had to force himself to b reath, the look of b lind terror that was shimmering in her eyes was b reaking his heart._

 _He grab b ed her hand and ran. She dutifully allowed him to lead her down the path._

" _The trail is narrow and sheer. They will not b e ab le to surround us."_

" _Do you have a weapon?" She called hopefully._

" _I have a knife." He responded b riskly, so angry with himself for not equipping more appropriately._

" _Ok, then lets b e off then." She nodded, keeping pace with him now b ut not taking her hand b ack from his._

 _They didn't speak, not wanting to give away their position. Endymion was quick to conceal their tracks as they hurried onto the side trail. He motioned for her to go first so that he woul etween her and the strange men. She didn't hesitate, the folds of her dress flowing b ehind like a river a white silk as she trotted down the narrow path. The lush, young greenwood pressed tight at their sides. They made their way deeper into the forest. The path was quick to narrow, it was dark and thick with green walls of over grown pine and spruce. The path cut through the b rush and b ranches, a b arely discernib le goat trail the made speed more difficult. They could see nothing, Endymion kept checking over his shoulder as they went. He couldn't see anything b ut trees and shrub s. He kept watch none the less. What he could see was clear and that filled him with relief. She went swiftly without any encouragement from him. Her steps were light and confident now that he was with her. She would glance b ack over her shoulder from time to time to confirm that he was indeed still b ehind her._

 _Soon the trail b ecome more rocky and the trees thinned, offering them a more open view. The path twisted over ridges, along the upper forests of Mount Song. Falling into shaded ravines of dry yellow grass and twisted b rush, only to ascend again up into more rockier terrain of b oulders and flat stones. Dry leaves danced and scattered as they passed over the hard packed earth. Pines and Spruce gave way to hardier, more ancient forest of Oak and Elm. Their grand trunks stood tall and strong from the earth, their limb s stretched across the sky. Swaying in the fall wind overhead, little patches of sunlight danced upon the forest floor. It was a very peaceful part of the forest. A few raven's called, startling the young woman who's steps faltered for a moment as she glanced nervously upwards._

 _Endymion knew this area well, the b owl shaped valley that stretch far b elow would carry sound for miles. He pointed to_

 _the flat moss covered stones littering the forest path. He pressed his finger to his lips, then stepped up upon a stone. Instructing her silently how he wanted her to move. He wanted to avoid making any noise and the sound of the dry leaves and twigs hidden underneath the forest litter would echo._

 _She nodded and lifted her skirts with one hand, her dainty slippered feet stepped lightly up onto a large flat stone b eside him. He touched her arm to make her look down over the path, to the steep drop off. Then mimed slipping and falling as the moss was wet from the rain and she needed to b e careful._

 _She smiled and nodded again, b efore hurrying ahead once more._

 _Endymion b linked in surprise, her smile had b een unexpected and it warmed him. Softening the sharp edge of his fear and worry. He allowed himself a small moment of arrogance, that their escape would b e easy. As he stepped easily from one moss covered stone to another._

 _The path climb ed steadily, the trees thinned, as the rocks b ecame more dominate. In time the only trees grew in crevices where the soil was soft enough for them to take root. They were not well nourished and looked gnarled and twisted and small. Hugging their meager anchorage against the mountainside, unwilling to grow any larger, lest their roots loose their grip._

 _They slipped quietly from the trees and onto b arren ledges of b oulder and shale. The path wasn't always clear to see and there were many false animal trails. She often turned to him for guidance and he would directed her b y pointing. Endymion wondered who she was and how she had come to b e lost in the green wood? But he never allowed himself to dwell upon those questions just yet. He remained vigilant for the last three men. The trail was steep and the ground loose at times, b ut it never slowed her down. He had come to realize that she was a sure footed and a strong climb er. As if she was accustomed to the rugged wilderness._

 _Mid-day soon fell toward evening, as they climb ed towards the setting sun. They were heading west along the upper ledges of Mount Song, soon the trail would cut downward towards the south and the village. The men if they had followed woul linded b y the sun, hindering their advance and giving them more time to get away._

 _Endymion kept them crouched low and checked over his shoulder constantly. He hadn't seen those strange men since Rose river. They had b een staying hidden, and making good progress up the mountain, b ut up here it was too open. He was b eing cautious, b ut was starting to feel more at ease. That they were not b eing followed, he figured his ruse had worked and those strange men had gone down the main trail. They would b e miles away from them now._

 _He wished they could rest for a b it. He had b een awake since b efore dawn and the deepening colors of evening now painting the sky was only making him feel more exhausted. But there was nowhere up here in the sparce trees and granite b oulders to set up a proper camp._

 _The path started to decline towards the south face of Mount Song. They were headed towards a sheer drop off, it was clearly in the open, with no chance to hide. Anyone could spot them, b ut across that narrow ledge of smooth granite walls and flat stacked limestone would b egin the trail heading into the village. The natural b ridge offered a panoramic view of the Elysian Forest and the grasslands b eyond._

 _Even if those men had figured out where they had gone, they had a safe lead. So he wasn't to concerned ab out leading her out of cover for a few minutes. As they neared the far side of the cliff trail, the path started to b roaden from it's more treacherous, narrow aspect to offer them more space to walk side b y side. Endymion b rushed a hand along the smooth rock wall, while looking over the side to the fields of b oulders and shale laying hundreds of feet b elow them. Out b eyond the stone, he scanned the sea of trees, many already dappled in the reds and golds of autumn. Stretching out down the mountain and as far as the eye could see. His forest, his refuge was glorious in the soft evening light. The sky had turned a warm lavender, the clouds retreating upon the horizon. Aflame in the b right colours of the dying sun. He caught sight of a couple stars, shimmering high overhead. It was a peaceful dusk and he willed it to remain that way._

 _He turned and checked b ehind, finding the trail empty. Then a loud impact resounded from in front of them. When he turned b ack, she had frozen in mid stride. Her flowing skirts swirling around her legs._

 _On the other side of the b ridge, that only a moment ago had b een empty. Stood one of the men, a creature of pure b lack skin. He had no hair, its flatten b row protruded from a short, snout. It's eyes glowed a deathly white. Endymion was taller, b roader then most men, b ut this creature was much b igger then him. It's chest, arms and legs were tight with thick muscle as if it was molded more of animal then man. He worn no clothing except a worn, pair of leather b reeches. No_

 _b oots were upon his feet, having no use for their protection. Since his feet resemb led talon's, with long claws digging into the earth. It crouched low, as if it was a cat preparing to leap._

 _Endymion mind raced, trying to comprehend how this creature managed to get ahead of them? He spun, reaching for the_

 _woman's hand. Preparing to run b ack the way they had come. When the heavily muscled b ulk of another creature landed on other side of the b ridge, b locking their escape. This creature had nothing to conceal it's b ody b ut a dark green cloak. It's hood pulled low over it's face, concealing the death mask it had for a face._

 _Endymion snapped his eyes towards the sheer, granite face of the mountain b eside the b ridge. Finding the last creature, crawling along it's smooth surface b y it's claws. With long limb s, well muscled and ape like. Endymion undestood now, how the b easts had gotten ahead of them. They were ab le to climb stone as easily as trees. It had no clothes at all, slinking down the rock wall like a spider with it's four limb s spread wide. A low rattling sound emanated deep in it's chest as it turned it's demonic continuance towards them. Thin lips pulled b ack, revealing a mouth full of tiny, sharp teeth. It hissed and growled like a predator._

 _Endymion wheeled around to the first creature, they were trapped and he needed to come up with a plan fast! One hand moved to grip the hilt of his hunting knife, as he slipped past the now tremb ling woman, to confront the first creature._

" _Hand over the White Moon, Brat and we will allow you to pass." The shadow man snarled, his voice was dry and raspy as_ _if he had just gargled on sand._

 _Endymion adjusted his stance, pulling the knife free of his b elt. The demon's threat was as sharp as a b lade and Endymion felt unsheathing his own weapon was a good response._

 _The Demon chuckled, he didn't see Endymion as much of an ob stacle. Endymion glanced at the other two, judging that the one in front was the leader. As the other two didn't move, b ut maintained their positions like good little soldiers._

 _Endymion had never b een in a situation like this b efore. He had gotten into several fights...b ar b rawls really as he had grown into manhood. His four companions had always had his b ack and he had always b een strong enough to end things b efore it got to serious._

 _He knew these demon men were killers and it was clear they were not intimidated b y him in the least._

 _Endymion glanced b ack into her sweet b lue eyes, wide in fear and clearly wet with tears. She stared up at him, b eseeching his help._

 _He leaned down slightly, keeping his voice low and firm. "I will never leave you."_

 _Relief was quick to wash over her face as she gripped his hand more firmly. Then gave a slight nod as she settled her hand lightly on his forearm. Knowing he needed b oth hands to defend her, b ut unwilling to fully pull away from him._

" _I need you to stay b ehind me, they can't come at us all at once. " He whispered, it was a hope not a truth. Her hand_ _tightened on his arm as her eyes held his, confirming that she understood._

 _He nodded, then turned to focus his glare upon the leader. He was b locking their escape b ut not for long._

" _May the Holy light of Selene b e with us." She muttered. Dropping her hand from his arm and turning to confront the_ _demon b ehind. Her face was calm, devoid of all emotion._

" _Be off, b oy. This is my final offering." The demon's voice growled. He glared Endymion down, his eyes glowing with the_ _fierceness of a hunter._

 _Endymion swallowed hard, his heart ratcheting up under the demon's unyielding gaze._

" _We will b oth b e passing." He stated, b oldly._

" _Not today, mortal." He responded, a finality in his voice. Then sprang forward on all fours, dashing like a wild cat towards_ _them. While the demon b ehind howled and charged towards the woman, the third leered down at them from the rock face._

 _Endymion was frozen, as b oth demons rushed them at a frightening speed. It was all happening to fast._

 _They had no chance, None._

 _The leader swung his claws high, coming at Endymion full force. Endymion evaded stepping sideways and raising his knife up to shield himself from its claws. He heard the demon b ehind grab the woman, who screamed._

 _Her piercing cry was like a thunder clap. The violence of it vib rations made every joint in his b ody ache with a sharp pain._

 _Dust lifted from the stones of the natural b ridge, spiralling and spreading like a sand storm around the woman._

 _The demon held her small frame with one massive paw, outward from it's b ody as far as it could reach. In a pathetic attempt to ease the intensity of her screams. Her white dress snapped in the rising maelstrom. Her head thrown b ack and a b linding golden light flared from the middle of her forehead. It grew in strength and as her voice increased in volume, then a silent impact struck the air around them._

 _The demon in front of Endymion felt her power and cringed in pain, curling up as it intensified. While the Demon b ehind released the woman and crumpled to the floor of the b ridge. Unconscious or dead, Endymion couldn't b e sure. But he used their distraction to his advantage. He fell b ack against the rock wall and kicked out with b oth of his feet, striking the leader square in the side. It knocked him clear of the b ridge and with a howl of fear it fell into the deep crevice b elow. It's b ody struck the rocks b elow and stopped moving._

 _Endymion dashed past the woman who now sat prone upon the ground, her hands pressed against her ears, wailing in distress. He paid her a curious glance as he past, intent on dispatching the next demon. His ears were ringing, a_

 _throb b ing pain pulsed deep inside his head. He gave his head a quick shake, attempting to clear away the stunning pain The demon snarled as he closed in, snapping it's head up and glared in contempt. There was a savage hunger in his eyes, he wanted to kill her and Endymion was now in his way. He had never b een so afraid in his whole life._

 _Endymion moved into a defensive crouch, as the demon reared. Howling at the woman, who had caused him such incredib le pain. Endymion swung his b lade upward, slashing threw it's chest. The wound was deep and inky b lack b lood oozed from the gash. The demon clutched the wound with one paw, the heel of his other paw hammered Endymion in the chest. The massive concussion knocked him b ack several feet and took the wind out of him. He struck the rock wall hard, his head flung b ack cracking against the unyeild granite. With a groan, Endymion struggled to remain conscious._

 _The last demon whimpered and crashed down from the wall ab ove Endymion to the b ridge. It clutched his head, writhing in intense pain. It dark b lood seeping from tiny ears on the side of it's b ald head. The woman knelt upon the b ridge floor, keening towards the sky, the light from her forehead expanding. It illuminated the b ridge like a b linding white flare, with the woman in the middle. Protected b y that wall of light as it rushed towards the two remaining demons. They had no time to react or even run as the light crashed over them. They didn't get a chance to even scream as their b odies were vaporized b y that incredib le light. As quickly as the white light flashed to life, it faded away._

 _The b attle was over in a matter of seconds and Endymion was left feeling rather numb and in shock._

 _She wasn't mortal..._

 _He stood stunned, staring down at the woman in utter disb elief. As she b egan to calm down, he noticed the golden crescent moon symb ol upon her forehead. As she leaned b ack against the wall, drained and unhurt. The tears that had b een streaming down her face during the b attle were starting to dry upon her cheeks. Her expression was dull, her eyes staring into space with a far away look._

 _It was all over so fast he was having a hard time coming to grips with his first real b attle._

 _Now he and woman were alone upon the upper ridge of Mount Song, in utter silence._

 _He slumped down b eside her, as the deepening shadows of evening crawled over the b ridge. He had a powerful headache, thanks to her supernatural screaming. Endymion could see she was unhurt, so didn't question his good luck. He felt to overwhelmed anyway, to talk or mull over the events. He could sense in her the same mental and physical exhaustion as well. Endymion felt nauseous and close to throwing up._

 _He couldn't b elieve what he had seen...that they were alive._

 _Demons? Here on earth..._

 _A goddess sitting b eside him...One of the Immortals from the moon, no dou the mark upon her head._

 _The pain he felt when she had used her powers. He had never felt anything like that b efore. He shuddered recalling it. Whatever it was, it was powerful...deadly...and she had saved his life. His hub ris was not so large that he would arrogantly b elieve he could have taken all three of those monsters with just a knife. They would have gotten the upper hand if it wasn't for her stunning them with her powers. He was grateful, b ut something truly unearthly had just happened and he was unsure if it would b e healthy to stay in her company._

 _She groaned, playing with her finger's in her lap for a moment. Shy or uncertain as to what to say, she glanced up meekly at him. "I don't know your name. I wanted to ask earlier, b ut..." She trailed off, silently indicating the drop off that the demon had fallen from earlier._

" _I was so frightened of them...I didn't think Onii were here on earth?"_

 _Endymion thought that perhaps she was ab out to cry and wanting to keep her under control, lest her power exploded again._

" _I didn't think so either." He sighed. Turning with a small smile, he grasped her hands and gave them a small squeeze._

" _My name is Thorne." he lied. He was incognito as a commoner and did not want his cover b lown. So a fake name had_ _b een a necessity._

 _Her b lue eyes studied his, as he smiled down at her. A cool b reeze tossed a few stray wisps of b londe hair across her face. She smiled up at him, trust and acceptance clear in her expression._

" _Thank you, Thorne." She smiled, sweetly. Tucking the wild strands of her hair b ehind her ear._

 _Endymion found her soft voice attractive, as b eautiful as he found the rest of her._

" _You are the first good thing to happen to me since I came here." She turned to admire the forest, spreading out b efore_ _them over the limestone b ridge._

 _The wistful, look she gave his forest warmed his heart. "I finally feel safe again...this place is truly wondrous and I am grateful to have met you."_

 _Endymion cleared his throat and scratched the b ack of his neck nervously. To his great displeasure he found his cheeks warming._

" _I am..." She sounded as if she was going say something far more personal then thought b etter of it._

 _She turned b ack to him. "I am Serenity." She did not b lush, b ut smiled tenderly up at him._

 _He looked into her eyes for a long moment and shared a smile. It was a small smile of acknowledgment that they b oth had secrets that needed to remain unsaid._

 _Endymion sighed and reached b ehind his head to feel the b ump. Drawing his fingers b ack to check if there was any b lood._

" _Well, Serenity. My new friend, strange things seem to lurk in these woods and we need to b e off." He slowly, stiffly rose to_ _his feet and then offered her a hand up._

 _She nodded. "Friend..." She mumb led, as if mulling it over as if it was a foreign word. "I have not had many of them."_

" _Sure." Endymion smiled, he felt the pain and loneliness in her voice."We just stood together against real monsters. We_ _fought and won a true b attle. That b uilds a b ond b etween people." His tone was b right and cheerful. Wanting to reassure her. He then pulled lightly on her hand, drawing her quickly across the b ridge. They needed to b e off b efore full dark, Endymion was really worried ab out what else might b e hunting her._

" _We helped each other and we survived, now lets get out of this forest so we can keep on b reathing." He advised, picking_ _up their pace as the reached the other side. She merely nodded, watching her feet as she scramb led to keep up to his fast pace._

 _Endymion looked out over the rocky plateau they were on. Surveying the dark greenwood stretching out b elow. This had b een his home, his haven. The trees that had once seemed so vib rant and lush in the sunlight, now stood dull and grey in the looming dusk. His eyes were drawn along the northern ridge of the mountain, up to the very peak. Were the Temple of the Moon stood. She was a child of the Moon, a celestial goddess. She must have come from the temple?_

 _A day ago he had b een wrapped up in his own troub les. Honestly, he had b een hiding from them, here in the forest. Now he was tangled up in troub le far more serious. A goddess fallen to earth and Demon's hunting her? What the hell was going on!_

 _He gave her a sideways glance, knowing with out words that his whole life was ab out to change._

" _So why were you wandering around the forest?" He asked innocently._

" _I got lost." She answered crisply._

" _I gathered that, b y how you were stumb ling ab out near the river." He laughed. "What I don't understand was why those_

 _demon's wanted you? You commanded a holy light...are you a..."_

 _He trailed off as she wouldn't meet his gaze. "I was praying to Selene and she must have protected us."_

" _You are priestess then...from the moon temple." He nodded, giving her an alib i to use on earth._

 _She grasped it eagerly and nodded with a b road smile._

 _He wanted her to confess that she was goddess, b ut it was against his nature to force someone to tell the truth. He respected other peoples right to keep secrets, hell he had his own._

 _She would tell him everything in time, he was certain of that._

 _Dread and anxiety was stirring unpleasantly in the b ack of his mind. With the events of today, he felt very uncertain ab out the future._

" _Serenity." He b egan, softly. "Being a friend mean that you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I will still b e_ _your friend." His voice was warm and reassuring._

 _She didn't look at him, b ut nodded. Giving his hand a firm squeeze of acceptance._

 _Endymion cringed, rub b ing his finger's into his chest. He hurt all over. His head was pounding and his chest ached were the demon had struck him. To top it all off, he hadn't eaten anything sine lunch yesterday and he was starving. If they kept to the trail, that was now winding downward b ack into the valley. They should hit the main road in an hour or so, b ut b y then it would b e full dark. They would have to walk down the main road for a b it b efore they reached the village within the hour._

" _When's the last time you ate?" He called over his shoulder._

" _I...don't know...yesterday morning perhaps?" She answered. Tapping her chin with a finger as she contemplated the_ _question._

 _Endymion chuckled, it was cutest mannerism he had ever seen. She truly was a darling girl, so graceful and sweet. As innocent as a child and utterly lost here on earth. She was going to need guidance...and protection. Endymion's smile quickly faded into a frown as he turned away from her._

" _You must b e real hungry, I will take you to the village." He nodded._

" _Do you know who or what those demons were?" He asked a few minutes later._

" _They are Onii, tainted souls from the Dark Kingdom." She answered, her eyes had turned hard._

 _The are the harb ingers of death. Sent to kill whom ever their master wants." Her expression was crumpling b ack into tears and sniffed loudly. "I think the fewer people how know ab out me, the safer I will b e."_

" _They wanted to kill you, then?" He was startled, the realm of the Gods seemed as treacherous and b lood thirsty as his_ _own realm. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to work it all out. Dark, shadowy thoughts b egan to swirl as he b egan to put the pieces together._

" _Serenity...did you come from the Moon Temple or from b eyond it's b orders?" He turned to her, looking hard into her_ _eyes, expecting the truth this time._

 _She studied him for a moment. "They could have tracked me threw the portal, when I descended to earth. Or perhaps they were already here...summone Dark Lord and sent to kill me when he sensed my pressence?"_

 _Endymion's went cold, gooseflesh ran up and down his arms. Rolled in waves down his spine and up the b ack of his neck, making the fine hairs there stand up._

 _She truly was a Goddess..._

 _What ever troub le the Celestial Realm ab ove was dealing with was now affecting the Mortal Realm b elow. The idea of a coming war b etween the Gods and mortals, definitely put his own trivial worries into perspective._

 _What the hell was going on!_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Loyalties**

They cleared the Greenwood by dark. Endymion took her arm and led her threw the fringe of oak and elm, out into the tall grass of the prairie. The night sky spread over their heads, an enchanting blanket of stars twinkling down upon them. The soft light of the waining moon was just cresting over the horizon of rolling hills, as he led her towards the main road.

She scanned the eternity above with a wiry smile, casting the moon a rueful glance. Before returning her focus back to earth. Releasing a long, tired sigh she griped his bicep more firmly. They walked slowly, no longer hunted and not really eager to be in the company of others. They took their time crossing the wild fields of barley and wheat. Serenity brushed her free hand across the stiff golden stocks of wheat, curious as to what it was.

Endymion chuckled and reached down and gripped several heads of wheat in his palm and pulled them free. Grinding the shells away from the seeds with his palms and letting the fragments fall like golden snow from between his fingers. Showing her the kernels in his plam with a warm smile moments later.

"We call this the Golden Grain. We harvest its seeds in the fall to make flour and many other things. It has no taste, but it is very versatile and is capable of feeding many, so it is an important export for my kingdom." He offered her a few grains, pouring them into her open hand. Then poured the remainder into his own mouth and began to chew.

She scrutinized the seeds for a moment then shrugged and brushed them gingerly into her own mouth.

Crunching down on them in distaste at first, they were very hard. It took time for them to soften, as she diligently worked them around her mouth.

Endymion laughed with mirth at the horrible expression she had while eating the tasteless grain.

"It is much better sweetened in a bread or pie." He spit the chewed up bits upon the ground. Giving her a way to politely expose of her own mouthful.

Serenity nodded and trotted off a few paces, refusing to spit in front of him.

Endymion shook his head, she truly was a highly dignified noble. With that dress and her demure, refined attitude she was going to stick out like a bruised thumb in town.

When she returned a few moments later, smiling sweetly at him as she came to stop before his chest.

"Thank you, for that." She patted his chest amiably then started off again.

Endymion jogged to catch up, glancing at her curiously. The glowing crescent moon symbol had vanished. It had been glowing like a brand during the battle and slowly fading as they traveled, now it was completely gone, she look completely human again.

The air was clean and crisp, Endymion knew by the time the moon was fully in the sky the temperature would drop. It would be a perfect night for a fire of birch logs. A soft wood that was lightly fragrant but did not burn to hot. He brushed his hand threw the field of wheat, enjoying the tickling sensations of the long wisps of fine hair that grew from the tips of the kernel heads against his palm.

Serenity gave him a curious look.

"Try it." he offered with a broad smile.

She hung her left hand low as they walked, giggling and retracting her hand quickly as the tickling sensation became to much.

"That tickles." she remarked innocently.

Endymion laughed, long and loud. The mirth sparkling in his eyes as he gazed back at her over his shoulder was infectious and soon she was giggling along with him.

Her laughter was so sweet and pure, the joy she felt in his pressence was honest and it warmed him. To long had he

been at court, surrounded by fake smiles and false happiness. The upper houses of Elysian vying for his attention, seeking an audience at their estates so they could parade their elder daughters before him like prized cattle. These witless girls, raised to please the nobility at any cost. Just to honour their fathers and bring their family name up a notch or two in royal standing. They were treated from the moment they were born like a possession, something that could, if sold well bring much wealth. The whole thing turned his stomach, he did not want a fake marriage, a false love. So he had fled to the only real thing he knew of, to Beryl. Whom he knew loved him and he loved her. She demanded nothing more then what he was willing to give. Their relationship over the last year had become his only comfort. She would always be waiting for him, always eager to please him in all the ways he needed. She required nothing in return, she did not need his wealth or his sword to protect her. She took care of herself in every way. He was at ease in her company, as their was no expectations on his part. He could come and go as he pleased. She would always be loyal, always be available when he needed her.

Her love and acceptance was constant and dependable. He could do no wrong, in her eyes.

So he felt no guilt about his sudden attraction to this young woman, to Serenity. Who was nothing like any girl he had ever known. She was the opposite of Beryl in every way. She was small, her body was dainty and light. Her beauty was unearthly, she held an aura of trainquility that soothed him. While Beryl in his eyes was beautiful as well, she was average compared to Serenity. Her aura was not calming, but sharp like a sword. She was a survivor a warrior and she did not need his protection. Serenity's voice was angelic and her demeanour was gentle. She carried herself with a quiet dignity and her childlike curiosity and enjoyment of his world amused him greatly. He would enjoy his time with her to the fullest, but remain cautious until he knew the full reason she had abandoned the heavens to hide here on earth.

They walked in tandem, inches away from each other. Endymion took note of how close their hands were as they traversed the hillside. He could reach out just inch and take her hand in his, but he didn't. Even though he missed holding her hand, ached to feel her skin against his and warmth he gave him.

With a sigh he raised his hand up and rubbed the back of his head to avoid the temptation of reaching for her.

"Do you know why those creatures were hunting you? Or if there might be more here on earth?" He asked, solemnly.

"They hunt me because the darkness is bound to the light." She answered cryptically. "I could have drawn them from the underworld when I used the mirror to descend to earth. Or perhaps they have always been here or perhaps a scion of the darkness resides here on earth and is summoning them for some malicious purpose?" She shrugged.

Endymion groaned, casting his eyes to the heavens in frustration. She was not offering him any absolutes but further plots to deal with.

When his gaze came down, he found her standing before him. Staring up into his eyes, pleading with him silently not to abandon her.

"I do not have the answers, Thorne. I found my life above, rather bothersome and stressful. I needed a break, to think and perhaps find some peace with who I am and what is expected of me in the future." She smiled up at him for a moment, then it faded. As she turned towards the moon, her face fallen into a somber frown.

"I am sorry, to have burdened you. All I ask is that you take me to this village, then I can find my way on my own." Her words were brave, but the tears in her eyes spoke volumes about how little confidence she had at being able to take care of herself.

"Friends do not abandon each other when in need." Endymion grasped her hand then, swinging it merrily for a moment before pulling her forward. Escorting her onwards threw the moonlight prairie.

He could tell his words had soothed her worries, as she moved lightly beside him, a pleased smile gracing her full lips.

They didn't talk as they traversed the rolling hills. It didn't matter, he really did not want to talk anyway.

He had far to much occupying his mind, as he worked through his inner court. Trying to reason out who would have the power to summon darkness? These demons spoke of far more then mere betrayal to the crown. They were a beacon of an oncoming war! A war that went far beyond his mortal borders to that of the Gods. What was going on? How long did he have to avert the death of his own kingdom? The ominous vision of fire and blood was no longer just a nightmare but a prophetic warning of what was to come.

Endymion was eager to get into the village and rent a room at the Dragon Bone. A bath and a warm bed was what he wanted most. He quickly rethought his needs, glancing sideways at his companion. Her head was bowed and her steps were less energetic. Her feet barely lifting from the ground, she was clearly exhausted.

Better to give her the bed, he could make due with the wooden chair set by the hearth. That sounded good too, it had been an extremely long day and he ached all over. He turned them up a small trail past a lone birch tree. They were near the main road now and he was eager to cross the last few miles into the village. As they crested a large hill that overlooked the road below, Endymion was suddenly awash with trepidation. He gently took Serenity's elbow between this thumb and forefinger, pulling her back. Then slowly he sank into the tall grass, pulling her with him into cover.

"What's wrong?" She whispered, her voice tight with worry.

"Maybe nothing, but after everything that's happened today. Caution is prudent. I do not want to just waltz up onto the road only to get into more trouble." He smirked.

She nodded, her frown perplexed.

"Lets just keep our eyes sharp for now." He motioned to the road, "Bandits lurk on this road at night, it's better to travel during the day. But even then it's not a guarantee." he shrugged. He had spent a great deal of the last year recruiting new wardens to patrols the roads. Sent small contingents of his army to secure the borders and maintain law. Even disbanded that unlawful band of soldier's who had betrayed the crown, known as the Outriders. He would have loved to have prosecuted their commander, Alan of Makaiju. He had been a cruel, depraved son of a bitch. Who had preyed upon the local villages, demanding payment for protecting them. Burning and pillaging all the villages who dared to stand up to him. Commanding his army like a Warlord, for his own gain. Those men had been given to him by Endymion's father to protect the borders of Elysian not hold them ransom. His crimes against the people of Elysian were long and disgustingly vile. But sadly, Alan had disappeared, denying Endymion his rightful justice. His kingdom was large and these criminals were like a slow poison, it would take time to cleanse. He would spend the rest of his life seeking the reclaim the peace and prosperity Elysian once had.

Within moments of intense scrutiny, Endymion led the way down the hill and onto the road. The stones crunched under their feet as they walked along the very edge of the road. The moonlight had become faint, as clouds scudded across the moon. Endymion did not like how dark it had gotten and keep a wary eye upon the tall grass that bordered the road. His hand hovered near his hunters knife, prepared to unsheathe it at any moment. They walked in silence for some time, until Endymion stopped short. His finger griped the hilt of his knife tight as he scanned the shadows further up the road.

Serenity huddled behind him, searching the darkness nervously.

"What's going on...bandits?" Serenity asked, only to be silenced by a curt hand motion.

Endymion had heard a noise, it was faint. A dry rustling coming from the trees just off to the side of the road, where it bent out of view about a quarter mile ahead. There was nothing in the woods he feared, he had great respect for the animals and plants who lived there. He knew how to use the woods to his advantage. But here on the road, they were open for attack with no means to evade or seek to hide themselves.

It could be a herd of animals, grazing near the road or a band of thieves laying in wait. Either way he was not so confident in traveling any further down the road. Endymion took her hand and led her off the road and into a well-hidden gulley several yards away. They crouched down behind a fallen log and waited.

A herd of shaggy, thickly build cattle with long twisting horns plodded into view. Their hooves striking the ground like thunder. Driving them along, with carved walking sticks was two young men. Both in their later teen years, wearing the simple clothes of farm hands. By their side was a black and white herding dog. Who trotted merrily at their heels his long pink tongue lolling to the side of his mouth.

"Did you hear, Prince Kunzite of the House of Tanmonten has filled the Golden Palace with what survives of his own people. The North has been conquered by demons, they say!" One boy declaired.

"I heard stories at the Dragon Bone, that the Western Kingdom has fallen as well. Prince Nephrite returned home from his pilgrimage only to find his Castle burned to the ground and his brother's slain. His people have been cast to the winds." The second boy added, his voice proud and overly excited. As if this was a competition at relaying dire gossip.

"Scary..." The first boy responded, his voice low and raspy.

Endymion listened hard as the boys walked further down the road, until they were out of sight. His heart was beating in his throat and had grown pale with dread. Serenity reached out tentatively and touched his arm. He couldn't hide the devastation that was looming in his eyes.

He steeled his gaze when he noticed the fear in her eyes. He grasped her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Then stood up, offering her a hand to help her stand.

"I need to get you somewhere safe." Endymion stated, rushing her back threw the hills towards the forest once more. His heartbeat was a furious, thunder in his chest. His skin grown heated with exertion and the sudden stress of needing to get back to the Golden Palace. The implications of losing both the kingdoms of Vaisravana to the North and Viruspaska to the West was a disastrous. Elysian's borders were weakened, the demon horde would move inward with out any more resistance. Sweeping around the Mountain spine that protected Elysian to the other two kingdoms. It would only be a matter of time before the eastern kingdom of Dhrtarastra and southern kingdom of Virudhaka were overtaken. Then Elysian would be next!

He had to prepare...he had to stop the vison from coming true!

They made their way deep into the forest, taking to the narrow paths that wound around the base of Mount Moon. It was closing in on midnight when Serenity collapsed upon a boulder at the edge of a clearing and refused to budge. Endymion had been pushing her at a fast pace for hours, trying to make it back to the glen that Beryl had built her cabin.

She was exhausted no amount of coaxing was going to make her move. Endymion had to admit he was at the end of his endurance as well. Resolved to make camp here and head out at dawn. Endymion gathered enough kindling for a small fire. The twigs and dry brush was quite willing to ignite and soon a fire was flickering in the center of the small clearing. Serenity settled herself upon the ground near the fire, resting her back against the boulder.

She was shivering, huddled closer to the flames then he liked, with her arms wrapped tight around her chest. Her dress was rather flimsy to keep her warm in this chill. Endymion was quick to unlatch his cloak and wrap it around her shoulders. She gave him a small, grateful smile. Pulling up the hood and clutching it tightly under her chin.

"I am not used to staying in the woods..." she muttered, her teeth chattering. Her eyes were distant, half focused. As she slumped tiredly again the boulder.

"When was the last time you slept?" Endymion inquired, his expression torn between worry and concern.

"Two days ago...I think. It has all become a blur, since leaving the temple." Serenity responded. Her words slurred as exhaustion took its toll on her senses.

Endymion was surprised, she still keep her eyes open. When they were running away from those demons, he had barely been able to keep up to her. It was her fear that had pushed her on, now with all of that behind her. She was starting to relax and sleep was quickly overtaking her.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, digging into a side pouch for some dried fish and hard tack. It wasn't much but it was all that he had.

She nodded weakly, before promptly falling asleep.

Endymion sat before the fire, watching the stars fade in and out of sight as gauze like clouds moved silently across the sky. This had been the craziest day of his life. He had never dreamed to ever meet someone from the realm of the gods. Yet here she was, a lost goddess, hiding here on the mortal plane.

He did not know why or how she had descended, but her appearance was troubling.

She seemed to have brought a dark curse along with her...these demons? They were the harbingers of death...such strange things had been happening all year. The night of the falling stars several months back...the total eclipse of the sun that had occurred just a few weeks ago...he wasn't a very superstitious man. But these signs could not be merely set aside as normal astral phenomena. This was the beginning of the end times...he didn't know if he could stop it.

But he would do everything within his power to save his people...his planet from eternal darkness.

He felt cold to the bone, sitting crossed legged before the fire. At first he had thought to sit down across from her, but changed his mind and sat beside her. Leaning his back against the boulder, he could feel her warmth as they sat shoulder to shoulder. It felt good, like a comforting blanket, he sat quietly letting the heat sink in. Idly nibbling on his chunk of dried meat. So lost in thought, he never noticed the shadow creeping along the tree line.

"So this is were you ran off too?" Beryl's voice invaded his thoughts like a thunderclap.

Endymion snapped his head up, finding her leaning casually against a tree. He couldn't gauge her expression, her face shadowed outside of the firelight. Dressed in her normal, foresters garb. Of leather pants and a dark green tunic, her heavy lavender cloak hanging from her shoulders with her hood pulled up.

He passed Serenity a quick glance, wondering briefly if Beryl would care how close he was to her. The thought was

quickly dismissed. Their relationship would never be more then convenience. His affections for her were true, but it could go no further. The boundaries of social class would always divide them. She could never lay claim to him and he would never claim her either. In time he always figured she would find a good man within her own caste to marry and have children with. He would be happy for her and give her husband a dowry capable of caring for her well into her old age.

"Found a wayward maiden I see?" She stated, her voice was devoid of emotion. The statement was as mundane sounding as asking about the weather.

"Yes." He sighed, raking a hand threw his hair. Debating his request for only a moment. He knew that Beryl would do what ever he asked without much complaint. He could always count on her, she was his best friend. Their was no one he trusted more. "I need to you to watch her for me, until I get back."

Beryl didn't look at him, her face downcast to the fire. "You want me to babysit this dirty, stray you just found?" Her voice was calm, non-committal.

"Beryl, I need you." Endymion rose to his feet, approaching her swiftly. His eyes were determined, a fierceness of command glaring at her.

She shrugged, his attempts to dominate her will had never worked. They were to close, she respected him as a man, as her King. But he would always be just Endymion, the boy she had grown up with. She knew all his secrets, his true feelings and thoughts about everything.

"Look, she is in some real trouble. You are the only one strong enough to protect her, until I can come back and take her to the Palace." Endymion groaned, gripping the back of his neck tightly.

"What the hell is going on!" Beryl hissed, crossing her arms over her chest. Glancing over to the sleeping girl cautiously. "I won't do it unless you tell me the whole story."

"Fine." Endymion growled, going into detail over all that had happened today.

Minutes later, Beryl was staring at Serenity in awe and fear.

"A goddess...demon's hunting her." She whispered then rolled her eyes. "Thanks a lot, Endy!" She howled, flapping her arms into the air in disgust.

"I have got to get back to the Palace, Kunzite is there. Nephrite is on his way. I have to send emissaries to both Zoisite and Jedite before their kingdoms fall as well!" Endymion raised his voice in desperation.

"Fine, fine..." Beryl growled, grabbing his collar and hauling him in close. Giving him a quick kiss and then promptly releasing him.

Endymion smiled broadly. "I can always count on you."

"You owe me big time!" She called with mirth, as Endymion raced away into the greenwood. Heading towards the Golden Palace.

When he was out of sight, Beryl sat herself down by the fire glaring at Serenity from across the flames.

He had been sitting far to close to this small waif of a girl. She might be a goddess, but she seemed rather weak and pathetic. What did the King see in her? Why would he even want her? She had wormed her way into his heart in less then day. Beryl didn't like it. The girl would ruin everything, her gut burned with hatred and jealously every time she looked at her.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Languish**

Sorry Everyone. This is the last chapter shaydoe wrote for this story.

 _ **Several months earlier...**_

 _Beryl walked among the b odies, dressed in her dark leather and violet cape. The heavy cowl pulled low concealing her face and whatever emotion might lurk b eneath the shadows. A long sword gripped in one hand, the b lade wet with gore and b lood. Her other hand held a short sword, slippery with b lood as well. Her armour was soaked with the remains of the fallen. A fierce wind picked up and howled over the hills of spring grass, snapping her cowl violently and sending it b ack from her face. It fell in dark velvet folds upon her shoulders. Revealing her face marred with dirt, sweat and b lood. Her lips twitching upward in a satisfied smile, in an expression of grim pride. All the men scattered over the prairie were dressed in the grey leather armour and forest green mantles of the Outrider's. Her retrib ution had b een b rutal and long over due. She stared down at the scene of raw savagery with a sense of peace, her b urden lighter with these depraved men now dead. The villages would b e safer now, the young girls no longer preyed upon b y these vile b astards. Their death had b een quick, lacking in the torture or ritual dismemb erment they deserved. Their slaughter had b een ferocious and efficient, rememb ering it made the hair on her arms rise in arousal._

 _She had so much power now...no longer weak or vulnerab le to the likes of these men. She had b een reb orn b y her vengeful goddess._

 _...Metallia..._

 _She had left her mortal coil b ehind and b ecame her champion, her weapon to seek her own revenge upon the Gods. Beryl was satisfied with her sacrifice and was eager to prove her worth. Her goddess would prevail in the war to come and the earth would b e reb orn under her rule. Human passions would b e tamed as her Goddess fed upon their energy. Enslaving their souls, b inding them forever at peace under her rule._

 _A dark shadow wavered b eside Beryl, floating silently b ehind her. The sun spots had allowed this darkness to b reak free of it's prison. Queen Selene had hunted it down and sought to ob literate it's soul from the universe. She had b elieved it had b een vanquished as it feel in pieces towards the earth. Desperate and weak it had sought refuge upon the mortal planet of Earth. It's corporeal remains falling like meteors over the five earthly kingdoms. Its b ody might b e destroyed_

 _b ut it's dark spirit still remained. A solitary woman had watched them fall from the heavens, that fateful evening. Believing it was a b atch of falling stars and not a demonic evil, she had b owed her head and knelt upon the grass of an open prairie. She prayed to those falling stars, wishing with everything she had for power. Enough to protect all who are weak or to scared to fight b ack. She offered herself like a sacrifice to have the power to change her world. So she could avenge all the victims who had perished at the hands of tyrants. To kill all who deserved death and b ring an everlasting peace to the earth. This fallen goddess of darkness...this demon queen had sensed the seeds of vengence, of pure hatred towards her own people. That dwelled in Beryls heart, it could flourish there, grow stronger and then use this pathetic human to devour all life in this solar system._

 _The immortal soul surveyed the carnage created b y it's disciple with b oth pleasure and fear. Metallia was just a fragment of a greater darkness. Who had tainted the hearts of men and gods alike for countless centuries._

 _Known as "The Corruptor."_

 _She had seen greater desolation, larger numb ers of b roken corpses b eneath smoldering skies of countless planets. Before b eing imprisioned within the Sun of this Solar system. But never had it experienced a mortal soul capab le of dispatching so many lives with such ob vious indifference. There was something far more frightening ab out Beryl's b rutal nonchalance. For there was no sense of righteousness or malice in the act. She held no more emotion in the act killing a human then a b utcherer of animals. She did it only b ecause it needed to b e done, for the greater good of all._

 _Finally, Beryl stopped, finding the b ody she had b een looking for. A well muscled man in his late thirties, dressed in similar grey leather b ut more ornate. With a b right crimson red cape, torn and damp with b lood. His hawk like face was pressed against the earth, pale b londe hair crowned his head. Cropped tight along the sides and around his ears. The rest was is hair was long, thick and wavy. Matted with the dark icor of dried b lood, the ends fluttering aimlessly in the warm b reeze. All the power and dominance he had claim to in life was now snuffed out in death. Beryl crouched down b eside him, scanning the vast meadow where his army had fallen at her hands. She raised a hand to her b row and shielded her eyes, it was midday and the sun was b rilliant. The b right b lue summer sky dominated the world ab ove. There was no cover here, the trap had not b een easily laid. But Allan and his men, thirsty for wealth had rode straight into her b lades._

 _Believing a merchant convoy had b een waylaid here at the edge of Elysian's mighty greenwood. A rumour she had created b ack at the Dragon Bone Inn for his men. Whispering her tale of great wealth in spices and silk from the Eastern Kingdom in the ears of drunken young men. The perfect vessels for spreading rumour and heresy._

 _As far as she could see, was tall high grass, b rittle and golden in the summer heat. Waving silently in the warm b reeze, b owing in supplication when it b lew to strong. The b ack of her throat tightened when the looked down upon the b ody. This kill had b een monumental for her. A final exorcism of all the demon's that had haunted her days since he had first darkened her life. She thought b ack at all the vile, depraved things he had done to her, forced upon her as a young woman years ago._

 _She had had no choice, unab le to care for herself after her mother had died. Shunned b y the palace after Endymion left. The Golden Queen had never like her much, she had suffered her presence for her sons sake. Once he had left upon her pilgramage, she had cast her out of the palace. Beryl could not find enough work in the village to survive. So she had no choice b ut to flee Elysian. She had nothing to keep her there b ut b ad memories and unrequited love. She ended up in a b ordello within a vast port city along the eastern coast._

 _There she b ecame Allan's of Makaju's favourite girl. He liked her spirit, enjoyed how she fought him, seemed to have no fear ab out the pain he could inflicted upon her. He enjoyed fear, it was arousing to him, even more so when he knew he could win. Their first session had b een b rutal and he had taken her virginity violently and without mercy. Leaving her face and b ody so b ruised it had taken weeks to recover._

 _Months later he returned and this time he forced her to service every one of his men. Leaving her defiled and humiliated, used like a toy for his own amusements. After that she refused to ever b ed him again. The manager of the b ordello agreed, she wanted her girls to b e safe and healthy. It was b ad for b usiness for them to b e so b adly b eaten and ab used. The third time he arrived to have his way with her, her manager had refused his b usiness. When Beryl had returned from running an errand, she found Allan and his men camped out on the narrow street b efore the b ordello._

 _She had walked right past him, her chin struck up stub b ornly, as he was leaning casually against the heavy oak front doorframe._

" _Beryl, my sweet. I was starting to think you weren't coming?" He crooned. His grey armour was dull in the faint dusk light,_ _his red cape hung limp and lifeless down his b ack._

" _If I had known you were here, I wouldn't have returned." Beryl retorted, pushing past him and into the modest main foyer_ _of the inn. She felt rather vulnerab le in just a b eige cloth dress of a commoner, with a simple rose petty coat to protect her. She gripped the cloth b ag full of food, freshly b ought against her chest like a shield._

" _I merely request an appointment with you. There is no harm in that?" he shrugged, strolling into the dimly lit room with a_ _smug smile._

 _The foyer was simple, with two red velvet couches ab utting each other near the hearth along the north wall. With polished wooden accent tab les set on either side. Long windows allowed the morning light in b ut left the room in shadow during the evening. A sturdy set of oak steps dominated the b ack of the room, leading up to the rooms that they shared with clients. It wasn't a fancy estab lishment, it was simply decorated to suit a commoners sensib lities. Their clientle was not typically high class or wealthy. Mostly lonely, travelling merchants or passing soldier's in need of a night rest and femal companionship._

" _I am sure you have b een told that I will b e declining your appointments hence forth." Beryl stated, trying to calm her_ _steps as she felt ready to b urst into a full run just to get away from him._

" _I was hoping you would change your mind." He grab b ed her arm as she past and twisted her around._

 _She screamed, drawing her manager out from the b ack kitchen. A stout, heavy chested woman. Always dressed in a plain b eige gown that hung as straight as a piece of window drapes. With flame red hair, spun into tight curls around her head. Her cheeks hung like jowls, her skin flushed and b eaded with sweat from the heat of the kitchen. Her small dark eyes were moist, b urning with an impotent rage. She tried so hard to take good care of the girls that lived here. Theirs was not a respected profession, they needed more protection then most women. It killed her that she could not protect Beryl from Allan's depraved ob session._

 _Beryl glared defiantly up at Allan, "Why, does Maggie look so upset?" She growled._

 _Allan looked distraught for all of a second, b efore laughing darkly at Maggie._

" _Now, now, Beryl, my sweet. Maggie is of no concern to me. I have come a long way, you can at least let me tell you what I_

 _want." Allan eased his grip upon her arm b ut did not release her._

" _I don't care what you want." Beryl ground out, flinching as Allan retaliated against her verb al defiance b y squeezing her_ _arm painfully._

 _With a tired sigh, he released her arm and shrugged. "You are so insolent. That is not something I tolerate, b ut in you it is strangely alluring. "_

 _Beryl set the b ag of food down on a near b y tab le then turned towards the front door, intent on leaving. "I am sorry, Allan. I am not interested in serving you."_

" _That's fine, I have another girl to serve me." He stated darkly, b eginning to unlace his trousers. One of his men moved_ _from just outside the front door. Stepping in front of Beryl, with his arms crossed b locking her exit._

" _Would you like to meet her?" Allan's voice was smooth, cold like ice. She could feel the frost in his smile._

" _Not really." Beryl quipped, glare up at the smug Outrider Soldier. She wasn't intimidated b y Allan's lackey's. This man's_ _pressence only fuelled her rage, she pledged that she would scream until the city guard showed up. Scratch and b ite, kick and punch anything to stall the vile outcome of this encounter. She would go down fighting and hopefully unconscious b efore Allan had his way with her._

" _All right, Beryl. Have it your way. I am truly sorry we could not come to an understanding. Let her pass." Allan motioned_ _for his soldier to b ack away._

 _The soldier opened the door and made a sweeping gesture for her to pass. Beryl glanced b ack, uncertain if this was going to b e just another ploy for Allan's enjoyment. Finding his smile had grown more radiant and cruel._

 _As the door opened and a second soldier strode into the foyer. Dragging a child b ehind him, no more then eight or nine. She was writhing and howling in his grip, her long b londe hair swinging in wild arcs as she was attempting to free herself. Her frame was lithe and overly thin, her face sweet b ut stained with dirt and dried b lood. Dressed in a simple grey cotton night gown, no doub t dragged screaming from her b ed in the middle of the night.. The woven shawl she had tied around her small shoulder's was large like a cape. It ob viously b elonged to an adult, it was dirty and b loodstained. She was tremb ling and her soft b lue eyes were wide with fear, flying straight for Beryl's._

 _The look of ab ject terror was clear in her moist eyes, yet she held her expression frozen in a stoic grimace._

 _Beryl's eyes opened wide in horror, as she spun b ack upon Allan. Finding Allan had already removed his pants. What ever disgusting act he wanted to preform upon the little girl, he had no issues with doing it in pub lic here in the main foyer. Beryl groaned and swallowed the b ile b urning in the b ack of her throat. She had already experienced the humiliation of b eing forced to please Allan and all his men in pub lic. She didn't want this child to have to endure such trauma._

" _She is just a child!" Beryl shouted, b alling her hands into fists._

" _Goodb ye my dear." Allan waved her off dismissively. Throwing his leather chest armour to the floor and pulling his tunic_ _over his head._

" _Where did she come from?" Beryl moved in front of Allan, b locking his path to the girl._

" _Oh, she is my ward. It's a very sad story, really. Her entire family perished in an unfortunate fire to their farm house._ _Tragic. But don't worry I intend to take very good care of her from now on. You can leave now."_

" _By the Gods. You truly are the most repulsive person I have ever met." Beryl snarled, staring up at his cold b lue eyes_ _finding no soul there. His smile was triumphant, he knew he had her. She would never allow him to defile an innocent. She was too, good, to honourab le._

 _Beryl looked b ack at the face of the little girl, her eyes b rimming with tears. Shaking like a leaf in a fierce fall wind in the grip of the soldier. She had given up on fighting and was now awaiting her fate or salvation._

" _Let her go." Beryl b owed her head in defeat._

" _Don't b e ridiculous, she needs me." Allan laughed, with mirth._

 _Beryl cursed him under her b reath, "Let her go!" She shouted._

" _Why, Beryl. Are you jealous of her? Such a sudden change of heart? Was it, perhaps the sight of me in all my_

 _splendour?"_

 _Beryl gave his erect phallus a scoffing look. "Hardly." She replied angrily._

 _With a groan and a sigh of surrender Beryl turned b ack to Allan. " All right, you have me you sick b astard, so let her go!"_

" _Splendid!" he clapped in triumph. Snapping his finger's, his soldier released the girl. Who rushed forward. Beryl knelt_ _down and emb raced her tightly. The little girl b uried her face into her shoulder, finally allowing the tears to fall. Clutching her small arms around Beryls neck, tremb ling and shaking in b oth remorse and relief to b e free._

 _Beryl closed her eyes and sighed, not relishing the ab use to come. But the pain and misery of b eing Allan's plaything yet again would b e worth it. She would make sure that he never touched this little girl again._

" _Alright then, you will agree to my terms." Allan's voice was stern and had a frightening ring of victory. That caused Beryl to_ _b egin to tremb le in real fear._

" _Here is the b argain, My men and I will b e here for the fortnight. After, I will b e gone for the foreseeab le future b ut I will_ _return for you eventually." He laughed at the sight of disgust that crossed Beryl's features._

" _I will have you all to myself, whenever I want you, wherever I want you. If you perform up to my expectations then the_ _child is yours. If you make things difficult, with your impertinence or your lack of effort. I will take her with me and you will b e left wondering what is happening to her."_

" _Fine." Beryl growled, turning to face him as she guided the child b ehind her b ack towards Maggie._

" _The second term." Allan called out, as Beryl coaxed the reluctant child into Maggie's arms._

 _Beryl groaned and grit her teeth, her stomach was b roiling with hate and anxiety over what was to come._

" _You will want me, and tell me so. I expect you to b e very demonstrative with your affection for me." Allan demanded,_ _crossing his arms over his b are chest._

" _I desire to do many things to you Allan. That I would b e more then pleased to demonstrate if I had a knife handy." Beryl_ _smiled darkly, not hiding the seething anger she felt towards him._

" _Your wit, is truly trying my dear." Allan sighed, snapping his fingers. The soldier b ehind him wasted no time, grab b ing the_ _handle of a cattle whip from his b elt and snapping it towards the girl. It stuck around her calf, with a sharp scream the soldier yanked her off her feet. She wailed in pain as he b egan to drag her across the floor. Maggie snarled and lunged for the girl. Grappling her around her middle, hovering over her, protecting her as b est she could with her own b ody. Adding her own more ample weight slowing down the soldier's attempt to reclaim her._

 _Beryl's b lood ran cold, as the girl and Maggie were pulled against their will across the floor. Maggie refused to let the little girl go, offering the child words of comfort. As she dug her heels into the wood floor, glaring death up at the gloating soldier who was reeling them in at a lazy pace._

 _Allan laughed at the murderous rage b urning in Beryl's eyes. His own eyes b ecame wild, the calm amusement fading away with the coming storm._

" _Lastly, you will meet all of my needs willing. You will engage with me eagerly and relish me in every way. You will not_ _service me, you will make love to me. With not only your b ody b ut your words as well. I want your heart, Beryl. Can you promise me your reciprocation?" He leered down at her, relishing her full surrender to come._

" _I can not give you my heart, Allan. You would know it was false anyway. But I can promise, you can have everything_ _else." Beryl sighed, willing her own tears not to fall as she rememb ered her prince. Endymion would b e the only man to lay claim her heart, even if he didn't feel the same way. She would never see him again and that hurt more then anything. She b it down hard on her lower lip as she listened to the little girls wailing and struggling against the rope._

 _Allan's eyes were gleaming with a frightening intensity. "Show me." he snapped his fingers._

 _Then the crack of the whip echoed like a thunder clap in the room, as the soldier recalled his weapon b ack into his hand._

 _Releasing the sob b ing little girl, who clutched at her b ruised and b urned calf._

" _Maggie, take the girl to the kitchen and get her something to eat." Beryl commanded, glaring at the soldier who still stood_ _guard over the front door. She turned and gave the girl a b rave smile and nodded to Maggie. Who b ustled the now limping child threw the kitchen door._

" _Tell me what you want of me, Allan." Beryl confronted him, squaring her shoulder's and holding her chin up defiantly._

 _He guided her over to the couches near the fire, his smile was cruel and triumphant. With a practiced hand Beryl b egan to unb otton her over coat allowing it to drop to the floor. Before starting to untie the b ack of her dress._

 _Allan devoured her with his eyes, demanding more from her then just a peep show._

" _Leave us!" Beryl called to the soldier._

 _Allan's smile b roadened. "Yes, leave us."_

" _I want to b e alone to pleasure my...lover." Beryl's eyes never dropped from staring up at Allan, who hovered over her. As_ _her dress fell to the floor, his erection rose, stiff and demanding. His pulse quickened as did his b reath._

" _Yes...leave me alone with my lover." He echoed._

Serenity awoke at dawn, to find a stranger glowering at her from beyond the smoldering remains of the fire. She jerked to her feet, prepared to run. As wild thoughts raged through her mind. That the angry brunette woman had mercilessly killed her protector during the night and that perhaps she was next. After all the brutality she had witnessed yesterday, she felt it wasn't a far stretch in thinking.

"Relax, I am a friend of Thrones. He had to leave and placed you in my care." The woman jumped to her own feet, placating the frightened girl with a raised hand. Beryl had played interference for Endymion all her life. He had taken on the name of Thorne in their youth, when they would run away to neighbouring villages. So that he could play at being a commoner and relish being free of all his responsibilities and living up to his parents expectations of him. He was king now, yet he still ran away from the palace, but not as often. When he did seek a break from palace life, he hid out with Beryl in the Greenwood. Rarely going into the village for fear he might be recognised.

Serenity eyed her cautiously, twisting her fingers into the skirts of her dress.

"Why?" She asked meekly.

"Lets just say he works for the Elysian Kingdom and was needed back at the Golden Palace. " Beryl smiled, a hint of bitterness in the weak arch of her lips.

Serenity merely nodded, nervous about going off with another stranger but not having much of a choice either. If Thorne trusted this woman to take care of her, then so should she.

"Come, I will take you back to my cabin. I am sure Thorne will return shortly to gather you." She sighed, beaconing her forward as she headed off into the trees.

Serenity scrambled to catch up, as the woman never slowed her pace or even looked back to make sure she was following. Intent on reaching her destination and completely uncaring about her ward. Expecting Serenity to keep up or face the consequences of becoming lost again.

"What's your name?" Beryl called back over her shoulder, as she took her deep into the forest.

"Serenity." She called, amazed by the forest that surrounded them. The trees were thick almost ancient, with stands of dark green pine that blotted out the sun. "What do I call you?" She shouted, finding that the woman had strode far ahead.

"Beryl." She called back, then sighed in frustration finding her ward had fallen behind. She stopped and waited for Serenity to catch up.

"Where are you from?" Beryl demanded, as she neared. Striding off down the path as quickly as before.

Their pace never slowed as the trail grew thin, to practically non-existent. Yet Beryl seemed to have an innate knowledge of the terrain. The forest seemed to welcome her, making her passage through heavy underbrush easy.

"The moon temple." Serenity responded, yelping in pain once again. While the branches seemed to always be in her way, obscuring her path, the underbrush catching on her skirts and tearing them. She had scratches along her arms and thrones pricking the underside of her slippers at every step. Serenity wanted to protest such a troublesome route, her arms itched and her feet were sore. She wanted to rest, but bit her tongue knowing by the firm look upon Beryls face she had no intention stopping. Her whimpering and moaning for most of the morning had already gone on deaf ears. If she didn't keep up she would be left behind.

"Priestess?" Beryl asked, glancing absently over her shoulder.

"I guess..." Serenity responded, her heart once again leaping into her throat. As she strained her eyes to the corpse of trees at the next bend in the trail far ahead. More then once, She swore she had seen a glimpse of a dark cape, or a large shadow in the distance. It remained far off but known to her. The threat it posed was nothing like the demons who had been hunting her earlier. It wasn't seeking to harm her, merely watching...hovering just out of view like a silent sentinel. It's aura of darkness was sinister and it hung in the air like a foul stench. Making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up every time she caught a glimpse of it. Beryl never seemed to notice, her focus singular to the trail ahead. Serenity quickened her pace, seeking more security by being closer to Thrones chosen guardian. She didn't know if Beryl would protect her if that shadow attacked, but she had no skills or powers to draw upon to protect herself. So she had to trust in this stranger...trust that Thorne would not leave her in the care of someone who may harm her.

They came to the edge of a shaded vale, obscured by wilted vines that would be thick and impossible to see through in the summer. The sun was just cresting the apex of the sky, when Beryl led her through the wall of vegetation and into a lush glade. Ahead lay a simple forester's cabin, cobbled together with what the green wood could provide. The cabin was simple in its design, constructed with stone walls and a thatched roof. Just behind lay a small shed, of waddle and daub walls, encased with skins and woven matts of forest brush. What it housed, Serenity did not know. A sturdy wood and stone well sat a few yards in front of the cabin and a large plot of barren soil dominated a great portion of the glade. It might have been a garden just freshly harvested by the turned soil. Still dark and well worked from many months of toil.

"This is were I live and you best keep it secret. I care not for interlopers. Only those I trust are welcome here." Beryl turned, the steel resolve in her eyes making Serenity stop cold and swallow hard.

She had never endured such a fierce stare as what Beryl was sending her way.

"I promise." She nodded, solemn and respectful to the woman's need for privacy.

The door to Beryl's cabin looked ancient and thick, the wood deeply carved with designs that somehow reminded Serenity strongly of home? It was well worn and stained by many wet seasons. In the far left corner a small hex sign was crudely dug near the hinges. It wa unlike any symbol she had ever seen before.

A spiral that held what looked like an upside down crescent moon?

"Come." Beryl nodded curtly to the cabin. Pushing the door open and leading her inside.

Serenity followed, blinking rapidly at the nearly barren hovel that lay within. Swallowing her disappointment over a comfortable bed and perhaps a warm bath. Promsise's Thorne had been unable to keep.

The cabin was only one room, that contained a small wooden bed topped with a stuffed sackcloth mattress filled with hay and covered with undyed wool blankets. A large wooden table sat near the only window at the front of the room. With two wooden chairs, the looked more like poorly constructed stools. That were crudely carved, and less then trustworthy. A small cupboard abutted the wall behind the table, containing whatever meager food stuff this poor woman might have on hand. A large stone hearth was built against the far wall, with two soft grey velvet arm chairs facing it. They were well made and richly designed, as if stolen from a royal palace and looked totally out of place in this hovel.

"I am going to see what I can find for us to eat." Beryl stated, turning back toward the door. "I am sure you will be alright in here for a few minutes?" She took hold of the cord that served as the doors handle. "You make yourself comfortable. I will be back in a bit." She announced leaving the cabin.

When she returned, an armload of fresh vegetables and winter apples in hand. She found Thrones little damsel sound asleep in the bed, smiling blissfully.

Serenity awoke to the warmth of a crackly fire, burning peacefully in the small fireplace. She sat up with a start, disorientated in the dark. To find the dower woman who had introduced herself as Beryl, once again watching her intently from an armchair across the room.

Night had fallen while she slept. She had know idea how much time had passed, since she had fallen asleep in the first bed she had occupied since running away.

Beryl smiled faintly at her, the weak turn of her lips this time seemed sad, almost crestfallen. As if all her hopes and dreams had crumbled away since the last time she had been awake. Serenity didn't know what to say, so she merely smiled back. Wanting to assuage whatever concern was plaguing her.

Beryl seemed intent on treating her kindly, even though her heart was not in it.

"Are you hungry?" Beryl asked. She had laid the plain meal on the table, one bowl was already empty.

Serenity nodded and rose from the bed. Taking a stool the faced Beryl at the table, she meekly pulled a bowl towards her.

Beryl watched her as she ate, it made her self-conscious. She finished the meal nervously, then thanked her for the food.

Beryl's forehead wrinkled as she watched her from the firelight.

"Who are you...really?" She asked bluntly.

Serenity had no idea what to say. She had felt her goddess hood was well shielded, she had been dampening her immortal aura as best she could since descending to earth. Her crescent had remained invisible since meeting this woman, so there should be nothing odd to give her away as anything more then a lost young woman. Serenity tried to formulate a more concrete story, something simple yet believable. That she was just a person, like Beryl. But her first words of explanation was blocked by the sudden sound of shouting.

Beryl rose from her seat and rushed to the small cabin window. Even in the weak light of the firelight. Serenity saw Beryl's face go pale.

Beryl rushed to the coat pegs near the hearth and pulled down her dark lavender cape with hood. Rushing towards Serenity, who rose from her stool as she drew near. Beryl draped the cape around Serenity, pulling the hood up over her filthy hair.

"It is best you remain unseen, until I know what is going on. " Beryl ushered her into the farthest corner of the cabin that was in deepest shadow. The color of the cape and hood allowed her to blend right in and remain hidden.

Beryl waisted no time, grabbing a large kitchen knife from the lone cupboard before darting out of the door. She returned a few minutes later, kicking the front door open with her boot. The heavy door slammed into the wall, as she trudged threw. Her arms burdened with the limp body of a young woman, barely the same age as Serenity herself. She was a dark beauty, with long ebony hair that clung around her damp face. She was very pale, a sheen of sweat covering her body. Her belly was swollen, straining against the plain woollen fabric of her dress. Beryl was quick to set her down upon the bed, as another young woman rushed into the cabin. She was a perfect replica of the woman Beryl had set down upon the bed.

"Healer...is she going to survive this?" The woman pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she knelt before the bed. Holding her sister's limp hand, her bright clear blue eyes seeking comfort from the stoic older woman. Now bustling through her cupboard, pulling out a large stoneware bowl and iron kettle.

"Sofia...your father is a stubborn old fool!" Beryl growled, as she opened and slammed several drawers seeking something that wasn't there.

"I know, I should have brought her to you hours ago." Sofia, wailed. Her trembling hand brushing away her sister's wet bangs. Seeking to comfort the young woman who lay moaning and delirious upon the bed.

Soon, Beryl had filled her large bowl with everything she was going to need. Rushing to the bed, she set it down upon the mattress and pulled up the young woman's dress. Tucking the skirts up around her waist, revealing the bottom half of her nude body. Beryl was uncaring about the blood now staining her blanket as she surveyed the woman's privates. Then began to apply pressure with her hands to her swollen abdomen.

"How long has she been in labour?" Beryl inquired.

"Over a day or so." Sofia responded, her voice cracking as she broke into loud, panic filled sobs.

"Crying is not going to save Claire!" Beryl shouted back, glaring down at the blubbering mess kneeling before the bed.

Sofia only wailed and hid her face in her hands.

Beryl rolled her eyes, then stared pointed into the corner at Serenity.

Serenity's heart was hammering in her chest as she nodded and moved out of the shadows.

Sofia gasped and turned in fright at the sudden appearance of another woman.

"She's a priestess from the Moon Temple, I am training her in healing." Beryl lied smoothly. "Here, Sere. Put the kettle near the fire and go retrieve several buckets of water from the well. We have a long night ahead of us."

Serenity swallowed hard, but was quick to obey. Taking the kettle from Beryl's hand and setting it on the flat stones on the floor before the hearth before dashing out of the front door. She had no idea how to do these common things. But she was determined to be useful, she could feel the young woman's life was hanging by a thread. Beryl was trying hard to conceal her fear, but Serenity could see the panic deep in her brilliant green eyes.


End file.
